Kuwabara's Arc
by Kazima Kuwabara
Summary: MAJOR SPOILERS! We have all sorts of arcs, and we get in depth to all the characters, but Kuwabara. And now it's Kuwabara's turn, and what he goes through will change everyone's lives forever. REVISED!
1. Episode One:Kuwabara's Parents

(New and improved revised version…it prob. Doesn't have to many noticeable changes.)

I own not a thing! First thing-MAJOR SPOILERS ON THIS STORY SO TURN AROUND NOW IF YOU DUN WANNA KNOW! Okay well we have all these arcs that really go into Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and even random characters. We sorta have a bit of a Kuwabara arc-but you can't really call it that. We don't have one that goes into Kuwabara's past and all that jazz-So I decided, hey I'm writing it! So here we go!

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**EPISODE ONE: KUWABARA'S PARENTS**

Kuwabara sat next to his best friend, the sun setting and turning the beach sand the two young men sat on a pleasant pink. Kuwabara glance back at Keiko who was chatting with Genkai, and then with a coy little grin he slyly whispered to his best friend, "So how was the kiss?"

Yusuke turned red and hit Kuwabara's arm, not that Kuwabara seemed to care. He was too busy laughing at Yusuke's expense. "Shut up Kuwabara!" Yusuke snapped face flushed red. Kuwabara smiled, and then after a moment said, "So Hiei's with this Mukuro girl?" Yusuke nodded, "I think he likes her."

Kuwabara snorted, "Him capable of love? That's surprising." Yusuke laughed, "Hey now...Hiei's not all that bad Kuwabara, and you know it!" Kuwabara ignored Yusuke and rolled his shoulders popping them, "If Hiei actually _can_ love then he needs to tell Yukina he's her brother."

Yusuke stared at his best friend stiffly asking, "You...you know about that?"

"Give me a little credit, I may be dumb, but not that dumb!" Kuwabara snapped before smiling, "Besides, I can see the strings." Yusuke looked at him. "What?" Kuwabara smiled, "You know that legend that says that your soul mate has a red string on their finger, and it ties you to them? It's not a legend, it's true, I can see them all! But there's not just one string there are others…Black for death, White for birth, or in your case re-birth, Blue for siblings, Red of course for love, Orange for courage, Gray for fear or sorrow, Brown for hate, Yellow for happiness, Silver for religion, and Gold for sacrifice."

As Kuwabara listed these things he began to count off his fingers eying each and every last one of his digits. It was as if he was turning his hands over and willing these strings to show themselves glittering and dangling from his fingers. To Yusuke it sounded all a little far-fetched, but Yusuke trusted Kuwabara, and knew Kuwabara wouldn't lie to him, especially not when he was being this serious. Besides…Kuwabara was a terrible liar.

Yusuke stared at his best friend raising a dark brow, "You can really see these strings?" Kuwabara nodded, "You can have up to ten, that's how many colors there are Urameshi. Some of them, such as the sacrifice one, and the fear or sorrow one, can disappear and go as it pleases." Kuwabara held out his hand, and took his little finger, "This has a red string." He moved to the next one, "This has a white string, everyone has the two strings no matter what." He moved to his middle finger, "This one has the blue string." He moved to the other finger, "And this one currently has the yellow string, happiness." Kuwabara paused taking a moment to gaze at the form of his best friend next to him, "I'm really glad you're back Urameshi."

Yusuke smiled, and cleared his throat feeling flattered at the pure honesty in his best friend's voice, "Glad to see you alive and well! I thought you'd be dead going on missions all by yourself." Kuwabara shrugged ignoring Yusuke's latter comment and going on to finish his explanation of the strings, "I've had all the colors on my fingers at least once, well not the black string...you had the black string once."

"You almost had it though didn't you," Yusuke whispered in a grave voice. Kuwabara looked at Yusuke who had his head bowed slightly eyes cast to the ground. He looked angry, and clenched his fist as he continued, "With Toguro…and Sea Man…because of them you almost had-" Kuwabara laughed interrupting Yusuke. The dark haired youth turned to look at his best friend snapping, "Hey you're not supposed to laugh!" Kuwabara smiled, "There is no such thing as, "almost," for these strings Yusuke. You either get the string or you don't. And I've never died…so I've never almost had the string. I'm Kazuma Kuwabara, the man…I'm not gonna die for a long time."

Yusuke relaxed a little bit and smiled at the easiness in Kuwabara's voice. It made him feel better to hear Kuwabara sound so confident about his fate. He finally held out his hand, "What are mine?" Kuwabara reached out taking Yusuke's hand pulling it a little closer to his face. Yusuke was a little surprised to see how seriously Kuwabara was staring at the hand. Finally Kuwabara smiled and said, "The red and white strings of course, and yellow." And with that said Kuwabara released Yusuke's hand smiling brightly, and Yusuke had no choice but to return the contagious grin.

Yusuke sighed lying on his back, "That's cool Kuwabara. You got some talent." Kuwabara smiled, "Yeah sorta. Koenma asked me to help Genkai with powers like mine, he said I have the strongest spirit awareness as of now." Yusuke looked at him stunned, "Even more than Genkai?" Kuwabara nodded sheepishly and admitted, "Yeah, my abilities really have grown, given all the shit we've been through." Yusuke nodded, "True."

Kuwabara smiled as Kurama came and took a seat next to them. "Hey Kurama. Welcome to the party!" Yusuke said with a yawn. "Yes I can see you're having crazy fun," Kurama chuckled sarcastically. Yusuke smirked winking at the fox coming right back with, "Don't you know it."

The sun set over the ocean as the three continued to talk, about all that happened to each other while they were gone. "Stupid Hiei should've stopped by. I would have liked to see him and his girlfriend!" Kuwabara said sounding annoyed. "Ah he's working for her now, he'll probably show up. He missed you, I know he did!" Yusuke said chuckling, "He even said he missed you once!" Kuwabara rolled his eyes, "Right...and I actually believe that!"

The conversation was stopped when a cry from Keiko filled the air. Instantly Yusuke was at her side, Kuwabara and Kurama following. Koenma stood close to Boeton, and Genkai stood ahead of the group. Her eyes looked around the area, as wild wind picked up. Kuwabara took Yukina in his arms, the small woman looking up at him. "Stay with me Yukina-chan...Master Genkai do you feel that?" Genkai nodded, and angrily cried, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

A chuckle filled the air, and a small man appeared in front of him. He sat on a rock smiling at them all as he laughed. He was Genkai's height, dressed like a priest with a baldhead, and sharp black eyes, and with a heavily wrinkled face. His bony hands held a golden staff, and as the wind blew the sound of the metal rings hanging off the staff could be heard as they clashed together. The wind died down with his laugh, and he asked, "Is there a Kazuma Kuwabara here?"

Yusuke glanced quickly at his best friend, who had a look of shock and confusion on his face.

"Get away from here demon monk or I'll cast you back to hell!" Genkai snarled.

"Well you are intelligent!" The small man laughed, "Figuring out I wasn't human so fast! But I guess I shouldn't be surprised…you are the great Genkai after all." He looked at them all and his eyes fell on Kuwabara. Kuwabara stood straighter and glared back at the man's intense gaze. Then the man disappeared, and popped back up grabbing Kuwabara's shoulders and flipping him behind him, so that they both rolled backward.

"KAZUMA-KUN!" Yukina cried hands going to her mouth in horror. Yusuke growled and was about to race forward when Kuwabara slugged the tiny demon forcing his old wrinkled body away. The old man laughed standing next to Kuwabara and smiled, "It was easy to recognize you Kazuma...not only do you bare his name, you look just like your father." Kuwabara froze up at those words, the others behind him pausing in their movement as well.

"My father?" Kuwabara stared at the small bald demon monk. "You know of my father!? What do you know of him!?"

The demon smiled eerily, "I know of your mother too...they disappeared when you were ten didn't they Kazuma?" Kuwabara said nothing.

"As you know your family comes from a long line of priests, priestesses, and psychics. I came to them years ago and asked them if they would do me a favor, they refused so...I took them away," The demon explained carelessly. Kuwabara lunged for the demon man, who jumped away with ease, "I'll take you to them, just come with me," the old man crowed gleefully. Yusuke was now at Kuwabara's side, "Get the hell away! Kuwabara isn't going anywhere with you!"

But Kuwabara was looking at the demon in an odd way, and it was this look that the demon monk noticed. "I see it in your eyes, you want to find your parents…" the little man crooned drinking in the sight of Kuwabara narrowing his eyes. The demon smiled, "If you want to know more of them Kazuma meet me at the park, you know the tree you always sit under for your studies,-yes I've been watching you so don't ask." The monk smiled at Kuwabara who closed his mouth right before he could get any words out.

The monk chuckled darkly, "Just so you know, you're never alone...I'm always there...just like you thought I was." Kuwabara couldn't help but shiver. Kuwabara hadn't said a word to anyone but he had felt like he was being followed, like he was never alone. Something was always there. Kuwabara pushed these thoughts away, and now wished he hadn't kept his mouth shut about those feelings of someone always being around him.

The monk began laughing loudly, "Kazuma don't refuse my offer, and make the same mistake your parents did." He smiled, "I'm sure your family is worth the little favor I want you to do..." Kuwabara stood up glaring at the demon, "I have a feeling if my parents were here they would tell me it's not!"

"Are you so sure Kazuma? Wouldn't you like to see them?" The demon asked coyly. Kuwabara growled, fists shaking. "I thought so," The old monk sneered shaking his staff, "Tonight Kazuma, meet me tonight...you'll see your family again." Kuwabara's face seemed contorted in a way, sadness and anger trying to decorate his face at once. "It must have been hard growing up without a mentor, a father...though they'll be pleased to know...you turned out fairly well." The demon looked at Kuwabara with pity, "I'm sure they've missed raising their one and only son, as well as their daughter." Kuwabara went stiff eyes widening. The monk smiled gasping, "Wait I know! If you won't help me, maybe your sister will!"

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Kuwabara howled eyes wide, and face contorted in horror.

"Then give me an answer tonight Kuwabara!" The monk leered at him, and with a deranged smile, bowed and then disappeared. Kuwabara wasted no time, and tore away from his friends, running up the hill to Genkai's shrine. "Damn!" Yusuke swore chasing after him.

Kuwabara was running as fast as he could and when he got to the steps that led down he growled and began leaping down the shrine's stairs. Yusuke and Kurama reached the stairs just in time to see Kuwabara fall down the last half and slam into the ground at the bottom, Kuwabara's lips and nose bleeding from the encounter with the stone steps. When it was all over and Kuwabara was lying in a sleep he pushed himself up growling as he looked at his arm that hung at an awkward angle. Kurama at the top of the staircase stared down eyes narrowing, "His shoulder's dislocated we better-Oh my God!" Kurama gasped as Kuwabara screamed out in frustration and slammed himself against a tree putting his shoulder back in to place, and with that accomplished he quickly ran off again. Yusuke and Kurama were now both surprised at how hard of a time they were having of keeping up. "Never threaten his family, make a note of that Kurama!" Yusuke said as he dodged people in his way as he continued in trying to follow Kuwabara's mad dash. "Noted." Kurama wheezed, before he came to a stop, "KUWABARA!" the red head cried.

Kuwabara had leapt on top of a car and was jumping from car to car to cross the street. "HAS HE LOST HIS DAMN MIND?!" Yusuke shouted grabbing at his hair pulling it out of it's gelled state. Kuwabara finally crossed the street and made it to his apartment building. He glanced once when he heard his friend's call to him, but ignored them once more and ran inside the build and up into his apartment.

When he entered the house, he saw his sister lying on the floor, the demon monk reaching for her. "Well you are fast." Kuwabara's sword was out and he growled, "Don't sound so impressed! I know you were testing me you fucking bastard! You-" The demon smiled at him and raised his hand, "Now that's enough or I'll kill her before your next word."

Kuwabara went quiet immediately and after moment of silence the demon smiled and asked, "Well, what is your next move? Will you meet me tonight Kuwa-chan?" Kuwabara paused taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a slow hiss before answering, "Tonight, I'll meet you. I'll never help you, but I'll come, and I'll get my parents back." The demon smiled, "What if I threaten to kill your parents?" Kuwabara turned away and a tear dripped off his face, "If what you want me to do is so terrible...then I'll kill myself! Even if you wind up wiping out my family, and those I love I won't let you get away with whatever the hell you want!"

The demon smiled, "Tonight then."

Yusuke and Kurama arrived, just as he disappeared, "Remember my name boy, Sage, remember it." He disappeared, and Kuwabara gently lifted his incapacitated sister in his arms. "Some welcome home party…" Yusuke muttered his eyes fixated at his best friend's back. When Kuwabara's shoulders trembled slightly Yusuke sighed hotly, "Dammit." Kurama looked at Kuwabara, "What will you do Kuwabara, will you go with him?"

Kuwabara turned slowly and smiled at them, looking tired, "Nah. I'll just have to try and kill this guy every time he pops up, right?" The smile was so fake, so falsely calm that it struck a nerve in Yusuke. And struck him hard. Yusuke approached the man and placed a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder giving it a firm squeeze, "Why don't you move in with Genkai, I'm sure she'll let you, you know at least until this guy stops coming after you." Kuwabara nodded, "I gotta agree, it'll be easier to protect Shizuru then." Kuwabara whistled softly, and Eckiji padded into the room meowing. He squatted down, and smiled at his chubby cat. "Up." Amazingly at that single command from her master, she jumped up, crawling her way to his shoulder, and stayed there.

"Never ceases to amaze me the way you handle cats!" Yusuke said offering a smile. Kuwabara forced one, "Yeah...right." The group walked slowly back to Genkai's shrine, silence hanging heavily around them. When they reached the shrine, no questions were asked. Genkai checked out Shizuru seeing nothing more than a bump on her head, and made a room for her two new guests. Things were quiet in the house, and in the afternoon everyone sat together just quietly thinking about the new danger that had reared its ugly head.

Kuwabara smiled as Yukina pet Eckiji, the cat loving the attention. Koenma sat in the room, Boeton next to him. "I'll try and figure out who this monk is, Kuwabara you said his name was Sage?" Kuwabara nodded, "He said he knew my parents." Koenma paused, "Everyone knew your parents."

Yukina stopped playing with Eckiji, Genkai set her tea down, Keiko turned away from tending to Shizuru who slept on blissfully unaware of the day's event, Boeton looked at the others worry lines on her brow, Yusuke's mouth opened, Kurama stared intently at Koenma, and Kuwabara went stiff, jaw set. Koenma cleared his throat, "They were some of the best psychics around! Everyone knew them, demons, humans, even my dad sang high praises of them..." Kuwabara had curled his fingers into a fist, and they shook as Koenma went on, "I didn't really know them, but when I met you Kuwabara…I realized who you were…you look so much like your dad...they disappeared, and my father looked for them, but had to give up. I'm sorry I never told you Kuwabara."

Kuwabara sighed, placing his hands on the floor, "What ever...it doesn't matter. That Sage bastard probably killed them both by now. I'm goin' to bed." He sighed, and rose turning sharply away. Yusuke looked at the wooden floor seeing bloody handprints. Kuwabara's nails must have cut into his skin because he was squeezing so hard. "Ah man..." Yusuke sighed. Koenma's shoulders sunk and he whispered a meek, "Damn." Boeton chewed on her lips out of nervous habit, "Should I try to reach Hiei?" Kurama gave a quick nod, "Yeah, Mukuro might know something about Sage, and I'm sure we can all do some research."

Yusuke sighed, "I'm gonna say good-bye to the big idiot for tonight." Rising he walked slowly to the guest room, and opened the door. Kuwabara was lying on his stomach, his shirt gone, and already snoring softly. Yusuke sighed, and watched him sleep for several minutes, "I just got back...just got back to see my best bud again...I'm not losing you Kuwabara...I'll swear I'll try to help you in any way I can. So…don't puss out on me!" He went over and ruffled Kuwabara's hair softly before leaving.

When Kuwabara was sure he was alone, he sat up…he hadn't been asleep at all. It was too loud for sleep. So loudly quiet.

**1234**

It was now 11:00 at night and Kuwabara read over a letter he had written. He nodded and placed it on his pillow. He pulled on his shirt, and walked silently out into the halls.

Everyone was asleep.

He snuck into Yukina's room to gaze at her still form. She was holding a sleeping Eckiji. He placed a second note for her, and her alone it read, _**"Take care of Eckiji. Yours Always, Kazuma Kuwabara."**_ He smiled, and retreated making his way outside. Pulling on his sneakers he walked slowly down the shrine steps observing all the scenery as he walked past them. The trees stirred in the wind, and the full moon hung over his head. Kuwabara had rubbed the gel out of his hair, too lazy to fix it up, and besides Kuwabara wasn't sure if he'd be returning. Who knew what was really going to happen now. He smiled softly to himself wondering how pissed his friends would be when they found that letter. Kuwabara sighed, now he really wished he'd gotten to see Hiei, he wanted to say good-bye to him. Even if he thought Hiei was an ass, if Kuwabara was really heading into such danger he would have at least liked to have known he'd seen ALL his friend one last time…No matter…the letter he had left held his feelings and his good-byes.

When he reached the park he sat under the tree he would normally be at in this park, and waited. That was all he could do for now. Not fifteen minutes later he heard the sound of grass being crumpled under feet. He rose, and sighed, "Finally you're here. Alright Sage show me my parents, so I can finally kick your ass."

"Ooo...pissy much?" Yusuke's voice sneered, as he and Kurama emerged smiling, Kuwabara stared at them and after opening and closing his mouth several times wheezed out, "What...what are you-"

"Doing here?" Kurama smiled finishing the question, "We're not dumb we know you."

Yusuke nodded agreeing with what Kurama said, "Kuwabara, we know you'd come here to see Sage to find out about your parents, hell if any of us went through what you're going through we'd all do the same thing!" Yusuke put his arm around his friend's shoulder, "Come on Kuwabara, we're gonna help you out. You're our friend and teammate…'sides if you go off with his guy where else will I find such a nifty punchin' bag?"

"I'm sorry but I'm only here for the human!" a shrill voice rang out echoing around the almost deserted park.

Sage appeared standing on the top of the fountain in the center of the park. He smiled at Kuwabara, "Are you ready to see them?" Kuwabara glared at him, feeling sweat on the back of his neck. "Don't hurt my friends! I didn't bring them here!" Sage sighed shaking his head in disappointment, "They shouldn't have come...I just want you Kazuma."

Kuwabara growled, "I'M HERE! TAKE ME TO MY PARENTS! IGNORE THESE TWO!" Kurama and Yusuke both grabbed a hold of Kuwabara's shoulders, "Kuwabara we're not leaving you, we came here to help you kick this guy's ass!" Yusuke growled. He looked at his best friend, their eyes locking, "Let me help you. You're always trying to help us, now it's our turn to try and help you!!"

Sage laughed, "Well, isn't that so sweet!?"

Sage held both his hands together, and once more wind began to pick up. His eyes shone blue and he cried, "Os Ventos De Inferno!" Hot wind licked around the three, concentrating on Kurama, and Yusuke. The wind began to pull them away from Kuwabara, and once done began to blow on them. They screamed as the scorching winds burned their skin. "STOP!" Kuwabara cried, "STOP! I SAID I'D COME WITH YOU, JUST STOP HURTING MY FRIENDS!" Sage ignored Kuwabara's cries and then Kuwabara threatened in a low quiet voice, "Will I be of use to you dead?"

Sage stopped his attack, staring tensely at Kuwabara, who held his glowing sword to his throat. "Now stop hurting them. You want me...leave them out of this." Sage sighed, "For now…" Sage appeared next to Kuwabara, and made Kuwabara look into his glowing blue eyes. Kuwabara blinked against the bright light, and let his eyes drift over to his friends. "LOOK AT ME!" Sage ordered, grabbing Kuwabara's face, "SONO!"

Kuwabara's eyed dimmed, and then closed, and the short little man placed Kuwabara over his shoulder, it was a very strange sight to see; such a tiny man, holding such a tall teen. Yusuke rose, his hands severely burned, "KUWABARA!" he cried.

Smoke was circling around the old man, "The next time you see him, both of you will be dead!" Sage laughed as Yusuke came rushing forward. Yusuke tried to tackle the man, but he'd disappeared taking Kuwabara with him. Yusuke felt cold as his hands went through the empty air where Kuwabara's head and shoulders had once been. Yusuke raised himself painfully off the ground, finding Kuwabara's wallet. The wallet was brown, and worn, it held no money, but it held pictures. And the one at the very front was a picture of Kuwabara and Yusuke, smiling making peace signs over each other's heads.

They had taken that picture after the battle with the St. Beasts. Yusuke could still remember the short scuffle the two had had before Keiko had all but demanded the two to be still. Kuwabara had obeyed, telling Yusuke he should too. Yusuke tried to argue but a smack from Keiko straightened him up. They put their arms around each other, and Yusuke made the peace sign over his friend's head unaware that Kuwabara had done the same thing. Yusuke remembered how embarrassing it was when Keiko and Boeton had both squealed about how cutely perfect the picture was.

Now staring at this image Yusuke felt his body begin to shake as he closed it. He tried to remain calm, to surpass the feelings that were constricting in his chest, but when Kurama whispered, "Kuwabara….is he gone?" Yusuke had to let it out. So with one violent rush he screamed out his best friend's name blue energy erupting in to the sky. The energy died away and Yusuke held his head tearing at his hair again, falling to his knees, "No…Kuwabara."

**1234**

Back at Genkai's house Genkai quietly tended to Kurama and Yusuke's wounds.

Genkai bandaged up Yusuke's hands first, and sent him off. Keiko tried to take his arm, but he sharply said, "Leave me alone Keiko. Boeton better find Hiei...Dammit...YOU IDIOT!" Yusuke kicked the wall sending his foot through it. Genkai sighed, "I'll bandage up your foot as soon as I see to Kurama. And stop throwing a tantrum! A fat lot of good your hissy fit will do to help Kuwabara now!" Yusuke ignored her harsh but true words, and limped into the room where Kuwabara had been staying not two hours ago.

That was when he found the letter.

He picked it up, sitting on the bed, and began to read it softly to himself.

_**"Dear guys,**_

_**Sorry I ditched...but I'm seventeen now, soon to be eighteen and I haven't seen my parents in seven long years. I need to know if they're alive...and if this Sage guy really had them. I'm sorry I never told you about not knowing my parents. But it was something I just couldn't bring to say. I mean how do you casually drop in a conversation, "By the way guys I'm kind of an Orphan, so how's the weather?"**_

_**By now, whoever is reading this is probably thinking it's not the time to joke.**_

_**I also want to know what this demon tried to get my parents to do, and why they even went with him. Was it a trap? Where they tortured? Blackmailed? I just want to know. Take care of everything; I swear I won't do what he wants me to do, I swear upon my honor. **_

_**Master Genkai, I hope you don't mind if Eckiji and my sister become permanent residents. I think Yukina would like the company as would you, and I know my sister will need all the help and support she can get so please do what you can for my sister. **_

_**Shizuru I love you. Thanks for putting up with me and…everything. You raised me…you taught me everything…so…thanks. And again, I love you.**_

_**Yukina...there are no words I could say to you to tell you of how much I love you. **_

_**Hiei, you little punk…Wish I could have at least seen you. Tell your girl friend hi for me. And don't deny it you shrimp, Ten bucks says you love this Mukuro woman! This works out for me, if I'm wrong I can't give you ten bucks because...well lets not go into because. **_

_**Kurama take care. I think out of everyone you can understand why I'm doing this. Why I have to do this. I thank you for all the wisdom you've shared with me even if I didn't understand some of it...okay a lot of it. But hey I'm not making sevens on tests anymore, now it's more like tens.**_

_**Heh, I'm on a roll with the jokes today aren't I?**_

_**Urameshi. **_

_**You're my best friend. If I don't come back, I want you to know that. Take care of Keiko you cocky bastard. Yeah that's right, you're a cocky bastard! Urameshi, if I don't come back...I'm sorry. I really want to come back. I want to see you get married, have kids, grand kids, and I wanted us to be old men together talking of the good ol' days, chasing kids off out lawn, and even making up stories about how we had to walk 15 miles in the snow just to get to school. You know…do all the typical old peoples stuff. But mostly I wanted to see your wedding, and be there through every good and bad moment you'd ever have. I wanted us to be hanging out again…just like before. I know YOU will be reading this letter first Urameshi, I am psychic after all so…I just wanted to make this last part good. Bye Yusuke.**_

_**Your friend, your family, your fan, your comrade,**_

_**Kazuma Kuwabara."**_

Yusuke let the note fall to the ground, anger decorating his eyes, "Kuwabara...I'm going to get you back!"

**End of chapter one**

Os ventos de Inferno- winds of hell sono-sleep

oo...the arc has begun. Next chapter, Hiei finds out what is going on…and refuses to help save Kuwabara?


	2. Episode Two:Purgatory

ok next chapter-well actually I'm going to be calling it next episode cuz this is the Kuwabara arc if the series ever continued!

Oh as it gets to the gates of hell-I dun really know what I'm talking about, some of it is true some is not so don't take me seriously. (New revised chapter.)

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**EPISODE TWO: PURGATORY**

Mukuro and Hiei marched on in her territory, killing demons that weren't supposed to be there, doing the typical business as it were. This was daily process the two went through. In the morning and evening it would be quiet marches to kill all the trespassers in Mukuro's territory. It was a routine Hiei had grown quiet fond of. He was pleased to be able to cleanse his sword with blood once again. He heard Mukuro snort, and glanced back at her. She was looking down at her pants where some brain matter from a demon had splattered, and Hiei almost smiled. Mukuro was a very gruesome woman but she did not like it if she got covered in any "pieces."

"Dammit…" She muttered to herself glancing at Hiei. Hiei smirked and she gave him a scowl. She turned ordering, "Come on Hiei…enough standing around." Hiei stared at the back of the woman he had become so very fond of. Of course it wasn't that he liked her, he respected her for her power, and willingness to do anything to reach what she wanted-really that was it. Hiei didn't like anyone, and this woman was just someone he respected. Just like everyone else he knew in this life. Her orange hair shone, even in the dull sunlight. And despite the mark, that terrible mark she'd inflicted on herself, Hiei could not find her any less beautiful than if both sides of her face were unharmed. She turned to look at him wondering what was keeping him, and Hiei began to follow her. They walked on circling back for Mukuro's large home when the two suddenly stopped. She turned her head, Hiei following that action.

"Someone is here," Hiei muttered. Mukuro sighed, "When will they learn…sneaking in won't do them any good?" Hiei drew his sword, and waited. A few moments passed, no more then two heartbeats when without warning he'd sliced a tree down and came face to face with a pale and frightened Boeton.

"What are _you_ doing here!?" He cried, not able to mask his surprise.

"Well that is a pleasant welcome, thank you Hiei!" Boeton grumpily sighed. She noticed Mukuro who stared critically at her and greeted her, "Oh hello there Miss Mukuro…ma'm." Mukuro said nothing back, but she folded her arms as if bored with the whole situation, "You're trespassing," She casually stated, Boeton smiling looking uncomfortable. She turned to Hiei, blue hair swishing behind her back and finally burst, "Hiei something bad has happened, it's about Kuwabara!" He looked at Boeton with a bored face, but there was a small sign that he was at least paying attention. His eyebrows had narrowed.

"What has that fool done now? Kidnapped?" Hiei asked impatiently wanting Boeton to get through with her theatrics.

"Yes…but no…well it's...WORSE!!" Boeton moaned shaking her head.

Hiei smiled, "Is he dying?"

"I honestly can't tell you that," Boeton whispered.

Hiei snorted, "Not allowed to reveal a person's death date ferry lady?" he asked sarcastically.

Boeton shook her head again, "No! No!" Tears where in her eyes now, "I don't-WE don't know if he's alive or dead!! We don't know how he is now since he took off last night!"

A brief moment of surprise passed over Hiei's face, his interest caught. "I thought you said he was taken?"

"Well…he was…bribed to go with this powerful demon! Not even Yenma can track him down!" The woman burst heart broken.

"Why would he do a stupid thing like following a demon if he's a human?" Mukuro interrupted brows raised.

"And what could this demon offer that would make Kuwabara go with him?" Hiei asked temper rising at Boeton's ineptness to hurry this conversation along.

Boeton looked at Mukuro, and then back to Hiei frantically. "It is all our fault!" Boeton groaned, "Mine, Koenma's, and Yenma's fault!"

"Hurry this up." Hiei sighed going from bored to angry and impatient.

"When he was ten, his parents were taken away. Kuwabara comes from a long line of priests, priestesses, and psychics; each new generation has been stronger than the first. The Spirit World knew Kuwabara's parents, and they had bee taken because Kuwabara's parents used to work for Yenma. We've been keeping this information from Kuwabara because…we just couldn't tell him that it was our fault he grew up without his family!" Hiei couldn't help but think Spirit World's reasons were entirely selfish. Hiei actually felt a twinge of sympathy for Kuwabara, Hiei hadn't known Kuwabara and Shizuru had been on their own all this time.

Boeton carried on with her explanation hands flapping wildly in the air, "You could say his parents were one of the first rekai, except they were working for Yenma. When they were taken, Yenma chose not to tell Kuwabara and Shizuru, and we were forbidden to. Oh if we had only told Kuwabara...then maybe…Well the demon that took Kuwabara's parents came back and told him of his parents, and Kuwabara went willingly with them...I don't blame him! He hasn't seen them in seven years! If he never speaks to us again then that would a kind gesture for what we've done!" Boeton put her hands to her face, fell on her knees and began to cry, finally breaking from the extreme guilt she had been feeling. "Now he will try to get Kuwabara to do what he wanted his parents to do!"

Mukuro looked at Boeton with pity and pulled her up. "Who is this demon, and what does he want the human to do?"

Boeton rubbed her red eyes, "The demon's name is Sage, and he's a demon monk. As for what he wants Kuwabara to do, it has something to do with O Terceiro Portão De Inferno." Hiei and Mukuro stiffened-all demons recognized that phrase.

"Doesn't that translate to, "The third gate of hell?" Isn't that it?" Hiei demanded, for the first time since the conversation started, looking worried. Boeton nodded. "There are four gates in all, one for those that are damned, the children's hell, purgatory, and limbo. The third gate is Purgatory. Purgatory is where your soul gets locked away in what can almost be a permanent misery. It is for something you can't forgive that sends you there! If that door is opened, you can go inside, and open the main gate of hell."

"Sage wants Kuwabara to open the gates of hell?" Hiei asked, eyes wide, and sweat on his brow now forgetting his composure. Boeton shook her head helplessly, "I don't know, I just know it has something to do with the third gate. But…if he wants Kuwabara to open it…I don't know how. I've been told that it takes someone very special to open that gate?…Could it be Kuwabara?" Boeton asked looking panicked.

Mukuro sighed, "I don't know anything about the human other then from what I've heard from Hiei. But if Sage thinks Kuwabara can open the gates of hell, you're friend is in danger. I know where he would be, where Sage would be. I know where he would have to go."

Boeton's eyes lit up at Mukuro's words, "Then will you tell me!?"

Mukuro nodded, "If he opened the gates, all worlds would be destroyed, even demon world. And I've sent a few people to hell that I would not want to see return again." Mukuro pointed up at the sun, "Follow the path the way the sun sets in the spirit world, and you'll come upon the Husane mountains. The location isn't wisely known, but that is where the gates are, just nestled between the cliffs of the mountains."

Hiei smiled looking at her, "And you know of this how?" Mukuro smiled back, "I may have thought of opening them once or twice."

Boeton hugged a very shocked Mukuro, and thanked them both over again. She got on her oar, but then stopped, "Hiei...will you not come with us? Kurama and Yusuke might need your help...and who knows what type of hell Kuwabara is going through..." Hiei snorted straightening back up, "He willingly went with Sage-his damn honor code and all that shit is probably what made him go. It's his own fault he's in this mess. Let the others deal with it. I'm not his keeper or his friend."

Boeton's face turned red with anger, and hot tears dripped down her face. She threw a wadded up piece of paper at him. "HE WANTED TO SEE YOU, YOU KNOW! HE WANTED TO SEE YOU! It's all in that letter! He cares for you even though you don't deserve it! YOU DON'T DESERVE IT!" She flew off, and Mukuro asked, "You want me to shoot her down?"

When she got no answer she turned seeing Hiei had picked up the crumpled up letter and was now fully engaged in the letter's content. Mukuro watched his eyes, which revealed the emotions he did not wear on his face and she glanced up where Boeton had been a moment ago. She kept a smile to herself and blandly said, "Hiei...you can go if you want. I'll wait for you." Hiei glanced over his shoulder, and walked off. "Like I said, I am not his keeper, and he is not my problem." And with that he let his energy burn away the letter in his hand.

**MEANWHILE…**

Kuwabara stirred for several minutes before he finally awoke.

Sitting up he grabbed at his tangled curls, and mumbled, "Haven't even had alcohol and I'm already experiencing my first hangover! Damn!" When Kuwabara felt he could open his eyes with out passing out, he rolled off the bed, and rose shakily to his feet. That had been a bad idea on his part. He quickly crumpled to the ground, letting a soft groan creep past his lips. Opening his eyes after several dizzying moments Kuwabara decided to look around from his current position on the floor. He was next to a bed, with red and black sheets, silver and gold curtains hung around the bed, and a dresser with a lamp sat next to his bed. Sighing he tried getting up again, and was relieved to be successful in this attempt.

Walking slowly around, he found several mirrors, taller than him on each wall, and with the mirrors Kuwabara was able to get a good look at himsel. "Who changed my clothes?" Kuwabara gasped surprised. Kuwabara wasn't shocked that his hair was down, but he was stunned to see himself wearing these strange white clothes. He was wearing a white and silvery shirt that hung loosely off his body, even daring to hang off his shoulder, and tight white pants that clung to his legs. "The shirt is too big and the pants too tight, yeah now I would _really_ like to know who dressed me! I look like I'm going clubbing" Kuwabara groaned and turned back to the bed, when he noticed something hanging on the ceiling above the bed. Kuwabara climbed back on the bed and stood up to look at it.

It was a glass frame, taller and wider than him with an outfit inside it. A black sleeveless shirt, black pants, with three silver rings next to each pant leg. Other pieces of jewelry, a necklace missing a jewel, two arm bracelets, another band to go higher up on the arm, and two earrings, with long golden strands coming off silver balls. There was a black cloak behind all this, but what stood out, was what was above all this. Making up part of the frame was the very same staff the demon monk Sage had only difference was that it was silver.

"You're awake."

Kuwabara brought out his sword, ready for an attack. He turned seeing Sage watching him from a mirror he'd just opened. "Clever disguise for a door isn't it?" The monk asked, not surprised when Kuwabara said nothing back. "Put your sword away, it won't do you any good. This is my place, you can't do anything to me here, I'll know your move before you make it, and then I'll punish you for it."

Kuwabara growled, "Oh Yeah?" and with that snarl he charged head on at the monk.

"Dear me...they never listen," Sage sighed dramatically. Sage waved his hand, and Kuwabara instantly stopped in his tracks, electricity running through his body. The pain made him fall back wards, thrashing against invisible bonds. Sage waved his hand again, and the pain was over.

Sage chuckled as Kuwabara began coughing, and the demon shook his head with amusement, "Fool. What did I tell you?" Sage asked glaring down at Kuwabara. Kuwabara growled, but did not retaliate again. "There is a tattoo on your collarbone, it is a simple trick, it lets me control you when need be," Sage informed the man. He smiled at Kuwabara who gave him a weak glare, "Go fuck your-AGGG!!" The electricity was back but Sage stopped the volts after a moment. "Kuwabara we're wasting time so get on you feet…I have much for you to do!"

Kuwabara stood up, feeling just as dizzy when he tried walking when he first woke up. He went to the nearest mirror, and saw a strange tattoo just where the monk said it would be. It was a star with a diamond inside it, the whole tattooed jus done in black outline. Under it though one word could be read.

MINIERA

"What does that mean?" Kuwabara demanded glaring at Sage.

Sage smiled, "You will know in due time, now come with me." Sage looked back at Kuwabara when he didn't move, "Do you want me to move my hand again?" Sage warned holding up a withered hand. Kuwabara narrowed his eyes, and followed Sage obediently. When he stepped into the hall, he could not help but flinch at the bitter cold floor. He looked down. 'Figures,' Kuwabara thought, 'they'll give me this whore like outfit, but no shoes.'

Sage led Kuwabara on down a long hall, that seemed to lead nowhere. It was just a long strait hall. Kuwabara felt awkward in the hall. The walls were to close, and his arms brushed against the textured walls. He couldn't see how this hall would lead to anywhere it was so suffocating.

"We're here." Sage stopped and pushed against a part of the wall, a door that hadn't been there before appeared, and disappeared letting the two through. Sage went in, and Kuwabara followed. Sage pushed Kuwabara forward, and the teen stepped into the light. Looking up he found the ceiling was completely made of glass. The tattoo he had on his collarbone was the design for the glass ceiling. Light poured on him, and Kuwabara welcomed the warmth. He was so busy staring up at the strange design that even bore the word miniera, that he didn't notice two people dressed in ragged blue uniforms staring at him.

"Kazuma?"

Kuwabara went stiff at the sound of a soft feminine voice calling out to him. He slowly looked to see the two before him. One was a small woman, who seemed as if the wind could break her, though in actuality her strength could rival any man's. Her eyes were a brown, and hair orange, and long. She was the splitting image of Shizuru. She held the hand of a tall man, who was very tan with scarred hands, and dark hair. His eyes were pale blue, and stood out on this man's sunken face. He was even taller than Kuwabara, and seemed strange standing next to the smaller woman who didn't reach his chest. The man before Kuwabara shared his face, the only difference was the older man had a slight beard.

"Kazuma..." The woman whispered again, walking towards him, hands shaking.

Kuwabara felt something inside him break, and he was no longer Kazuma Kuwabara, he was their _son._

"Mother..." Kuwabara whispered, and rushed forward laughing, and crying. He grabbed the small woman by her waist and lifted her up in a hug. The man rushed forward kissing his son's forehead. "This can't be my boy! Not my boy! My boy was ten, and was a scrawny thing!" The man laughed, he voice deep and rich. There were many tears, and many kisses, and when that was done, they were all on the ground, Kuwabara's father was holding his son asking him if he ever asked that nice Terri girl out on a date, or if he learned to roller skate, or if he was driving now. Kuwabara's mother was just as bad asking about him, his friends, his social life, and of course Shizuru.

None of them had even noticed Sage had left.

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Everyone listened to Boeton as she relayed what she'd found out from Mukuro. Koenma left to make a more accurate map for Yusuke and Kurama, now all they had to do was wait.

"I didn't sleep at all last night." Yukina whispered, Eckiji in her arms. The large cat looked ill, and did no move even when Yukina pet her. Shizuru had gone through four packs of cigarettes before Genkai took them away, and now was finishing off a huge bottle of Rum, which she had managed to keep away from her concerned friends. Her hair was out of place, and bags were under her eyes. She was barely recognizable as Kuwabara's older sister. Kurama was tapping his foot, looking impatient and ready to move on to whatever step was next. Surprisingly Yusuke seemed to be the only calm one.

"I can't believe Hiei would abandon Kazuma..." Yukina whispered sadly.

"He didn't," Yusuke, said with a soft smile, "He wouldn't do that for real. He won't show up until we need him the most, and say he only came because he knew we'd screw it up." Kurama chuckled, "Yes that's our Hiei." Shizuru looked at Yusuke and asked, "Your goin' to get 'em back fo' me, right?" Yusuke looked at Shizuru his heart hurting to see the normally strong woman so upset, "Yes," he answered honestly. He would save Kuwabara, no matter what.

"Ya know…I knew 'bout Sage..." Shizuru said sipping off her rum.

All went quiet.

"Saw 'em when I was li'le. He took mom an' dad away...I jus' never said anythin' ya know." She leaned in closer, "I didn't wanna scare Kazu...he doesn't like monsters ya know..." Genkai sighed, and gently took her arm. "It's almost six now...Shizuru why don't you rest?" Koenma came in at that moment and handed Kurama the map, talking with him.

They were about to leave when the rum bottle in Shizuru's hand, dropped and smashed to the ground.

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It was much later, around five when Sage returned. "Kazuma? Come, you will see them later." Kuwabara felt his mother's grip tighten, and saw his father stiffen. "He brought me to you...I owe him this much...I'll be back, and we'll get out of here." Kuwabara whispered to them both reluctantly pulling away, and looked back as his parents as Sage led him into a different hall. They followed the hall all the way to the end, and when they did Sage opened a door.

Kuwabara found himself outside, and he stared around him. Everything was black. The soil, the trees, the very air, all black…black and dead...black and dead. People just like his parents were outside and laboring in burning everything to the ground, he could see them from a distance. If they weren't burning things down they were pulling out trees, or even digging graves where a body would be carelessly tossed into it, never to be bothered with again. Kuwabara vaguely wondered what they were doing, and though bitterly how his parents had probably been doing what these people did now.

But why?

Kuwabara followed Sage and glared down at the ground as people watched him walk bye. He could not look into their dead faces, their sunken eyes. A lot of them were human, some were demons, and most of them were either too old, or too young. If he looked at them his heart would break even more, Kuwabara just couldn't take this sadness…it was just so awful.

Sage led him to a cave, and then through it. Kuwabara paused at the mouth of the cave, it was dark inside and he was vaguely reminded of when Gourmet dragged him through a cave just as dark. Kuwabara wondered briefly if this cave would also have some underground water, and dark twisted demons that were bent on taking over the human realm.

"Kuwabara!" Sage's voice called from the darkness, "I know of your past…but you can't hesitate here Kuwabara…You came with me and want to know what I want you to do. So now I'm showing you! Don't you want to see?" Sage's voice died away and with a sigh Kuwabara entered the cave walking through the darkness.

When Kuwabara reached the other side, pain filled his body, and he dropped down to the ground. His whole body began shaking, and his vision was blurring. "I thought so. You are indeed like your parents...only the purest people, filled with the greatest amount of spirit awareness can feel what you are feeling," Sage's voice echoed, but Kuwabara could not focus on where the words came from. He was going to die. There was no way he could take this a second longer. It hurt! It hurt!

The pain stopped when Sage put his hand on him. Kuwabara collapsed on the ground, Sage's hand on his chest, his nails digging into his skin. "Look there Kazuma," Sage used his golden staff to point at a gate. Kuwabara rolled his eyes, the whites of his eyes now filled with red veins. His bleary vision came upon two black gates. They were rusted, and heavy chains, and heavy locks kept the gate shut. Humans, still alive and screaming were twisted together and sewn into the gates, to spell the word Purgatory.

"Oh God."

"There is no God in there Kazuma."

Sage smiled down at the human, "And you are the only one that can open that gate, you and your wonderful powers. Demons cannot open it. No it must be a pure hearted human, and being as no pure hearted human would do such a thing, it seemed like a good plan to make it only possible for a pure hearted human to have that ability, yes?" Sage laughed, "Wrong...wrong, wrong, wrong." He laughed, and taking Kuwabara by the hand dragged him away from the gates, where the screaming faces cried out for Kuwabara. Kuwabara closed his eyes, and when he opened them, found he was weeping to himself and unable to stop. He was dragged through the black ground, Sage ignoring the slaves he had captured over the years, staring at Kuwabara.

"I'm no the one…no…no…" Kuwabara sobbed unable to explain the fear and pain that coiled around his heart.

"But you are," Sage rebottled not looking down at the weakened man, "Your eyes! Your eyes give you away!!" Sage laughed loud and hard, Kuwabara's head swimming as he tried to make sense of those words.

A young girl no more than nine, who was staring at Kuwabara as she held a bundle of burned sticks to her body, caught Kuwabara's eye. She stared back at Kuwabara for a moment and then turned away screaming, "Mommy! Mommy! There is something wrong with his eyes! His eyes! Mommy!!" Kuwabara could not see it, but from that terrible sight, his eyes had been marked, a mark that Sage had been hoping would show, a mark Sage had been looking for in humans his whole life.

Kuwabara's pupils had taken the form of crosses.

Sage looked at his eyes, and sighed. "Just like I thought. God is protecting you. He protects all his children!" He sighed rolling his eyes. "I almost feel bad for you boy, your eyes have been forever branded, every demon you meet will know you have seen the gates of hell and that you can open them; if I fail here, they will carry out my plans for me." Kuwabara looked at him, honestly no longer caring that he was being dragged, "But...my parents-"

Sage laughed cutting Kuwabara off, "Yes they saw the gates of hell, or should I say the gates of Purgatory. The true gates of hell are past those you saw. Only you can break those gates your parents can't. Their eyes aren't branded like yours, if they were I could have used them, but no I needed you. Your parents could slice through the gates of Purgatory, but would die right after. You my dear boy, have so much power, you are so good hearted, you will be able to cut through the gates of purgatory and then the gates of hell! And with that you will open a new dark age on this pathetic realm!!" Sage laughed and before Kuwabara knew it, he was being made to stand before his parents who were being held between two guards.

"KAZU!" Kari Kuwabara shrieked seeing her son's eyes.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM? WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BOY!?" Kazuma cried staring at his son who looked at him, his strange eyes chilling the father's blood. Sage smiled, "Kazuma, I will send your parents in there, for all eternity if you don't do what I say." Kuwabara's eyes had gone wide. "Call forth your sword." The orange sword was out in an instant, Kuwabara's parents screaming at him not to do this. "And you will follow me, and slice through the chains on that gate, and then the chain's on the gates that lead to the true hell! Glory be to the power of chaos!!"

Kuwabara did not follow Sage when he started walking back.

Instead Kuwabara raised his sword, and with tears dripping down his cheeks, thrust his sword through his gut. The sword went all the way through blood splashing out behind Kuwabara like tattered wings. There were no final words from Kuwabara, and there had been no warning. He had just done what he knew he had to do. Kuwabara did have a final thought though, and that was of his best friends. In his mind, as his eyes grew dimmer and dimmer, he saw Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke talking. Yusuke was laughing at something and then he turned to look at Kuwabara. He smiled and gave Kuwabara a thumbs up. Briefly Kuwabara smiled to, before it faded away just as the images of his friend's did. There was a twisting in his gut and that had done it…

Kuwabara was…he was….

His mother's scream ripped through the air, his father's echoing it. The energy Kuwabara had coursing through out his body disappeared, and faded away. His eyes were not closed tight, but closed in relaxation. Everything about him was relaxed. He fell forwards bleeding all over the stone floor. Sage had frozen and watched the ordeal in a quiet awe. When Kuwabara was on the ground, Sage put his hand to the teen's neck, and sighed. "Dammit."

It was now around six.

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Shizuru had just dropped the rum bottle, and was screaming holding onto her stomach. Eckiji was letting out the strangest sound they ever heard, and it sounded as if she was screaming in agony. Genkai grabbed her heart, and then cried out to Shizuru, "What is it!? Shizuru what do you feel?! Did you feel…?"

Shizuru did not answer Genkai but just let her own horrible howl.

"KAZUMA! NO! NOT MY-NO! KAZUMA, KAZUMA, KAZUMA! NOT MY BROTHER, NOT MY LITTLE BROTHER! NOT MY BROTHER! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Shizuru shrieked. Boeton suddenly swayed on her feet, and Koenma had to steady her. Koenma was shaking, and whispered, "Boeton...it's not so...please say..." Kurama had dropped the map given to him and let his mouth open in a wide 'o' shape. Yusuke fell to his knees, "Shizuru...Shizuru...tell me what's going on…Shizuru?"

Out of her crazed brown eyes she whispered, "I can feel it. Something I love has been ripped out of my body...my soul..." She held out her hand, "THE BLUE STRING IS GONE! IT'S GONE!" She sobbed louder, and collapsing on her side, curled up in a ball, her tangled hair all around her she whispered, barely able to breathe, "Kazuma is dead."

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Hiei sat up in his bed, sweating, and eyes wide. He'd heard something inside his head, it was a loud scream from many voices turned into one. Hiei got up, and pulled on his shirt. He'd turned in early, and his dreams brought him no peace. He didn't dream at all until that one moment ago. That one flash that had woken him up. The darkness in his dream was turned white, and standing in a corner, wearing all white, hair in tangled curls, was Kuwabara. Hiei could not see Kuwabara's face but he had known it was Kuwabara. However though Hiei could not see his face he did see something that bothered him to no end. White wings wrapped in barbed wire, with bones sticking out of the fine feathers, had come from his back. The wings were bloody and ugly, looking painful with all the sharp wire on them. Then Kuwabara turned around, and Hiei saw finally saw Kuwabara's face…and he saw…_them._

Pale blue eyes with black crosses in them, and tears of blood raining down his face.

Hiei rubbed his eyes, and sighed. "Damn you human..." Hiei sighed, pulled on his cloak, took up his sword, opened his window, and was gone.

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Kazuma, and Kari were led away crying out for their son. Kazuma stared at his dead boy, his dead child, the one who bore his name, and then he heard Sage sigh in a disappointed tone, "What a waste." Kazuma snarled, and cried, "I SWEAR! I SWEAR I WILL GET YOU! ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!" Sage watched as they were dragged away, eyes shining with no remorse. He glanced down at the blood all over the floor, and making splashing sounds as he walked across the floor, Sage ordered, "Clean this up."

**End of chapter two.**

miniera-mine

...well...hmm...all I can say is don't kill me just yet...it should get better...should.  
Anyways, Hiei has decided to head for the place Mukuro spoke of, not knowing Kuwabara is already gone. Yusuke and Kurama head out, only setting out for one reason: REVENGE.


	3. Episode Three:Yusuke's Vow

I think You're gonna love this chapter. (revised version)

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**EPISODE THREE: YUSUKE'S VOW**

Yusuke Urameshi was having some sort of nightmare. That's exactly what this was. Some kind of nightmare, this had to be! This couldn't be real.

"My best friend dead? No. Kuwabara? He's nor dead…he can never die," Yusuke croaked looking around the room, "He always gets close to death, but it never really happens. He's too stupid to die.." Yusuke laughed, as Koenma and Boeton lead Shizuru to another room, her loud sobs breaking through Yusuke's hysterical half-crazed laughter. "I mean...he fought Rando, and his whole body got crushed but he didn't die! Rando squeezed him and snapped his leg-but he lived! Dying is too easy for that idiot!" Yusuke was almost shouting. He took a breath knowing how crazy he must have sounded, but he was just trying to prove to the others there was no way Kuwabara could be dead.

Kuwabara just couldn't die.

"And then there was Byakko! Kuwabara's fucking bandages for crying out loud saved him from falling in that damned pit of lava! Remember that? He almost bought it in the lava but those things snagged on the rock…and Kuwabara lived. He's got dumb luck that way!" Yusuke fell backwards sliding against the wall…he was suddenly very dizzy. He couldn't get the dread that was creeping up on him to leave him alone.

So pressed against the wall Yusuke continued ranting unaware of how utterly pathetic and delusional he sounded, "And then, and then there was at the very end of fighting those beasts…he donated so much of his energy for me he almost died! But-heh-remember what I did to him when he pretended Keiko had died? I beat the hell out of his sorry ass for that prank. Then in the dark tournament he almost died because he couldn't fight those three possessed guys, and then he was forced to fight with almost every bone in his body broken! God he has guts!"

Yusuke was now reaching through his memories; he had to make his point and get the other to believe him. Kuwabara was unbeatable when it came to death, Kuwabara could not die!! "Remember Toguro?" Yusuke asked darkly, "Remember what that man did? Do you remember what Kuwabara did? What he said to me? I'll never forget those words…or how angry I was when I found out he was okay! Not a month later he was attacked by Mitari, almost got beat up to death, and then almost drowned! Then to top it all off, he was kidnapped, and they were gonna eat him! Sensui made it worse when I died and beat the crap out of all of you!" Yusuke finally began to laugh, his desperation causing him to break. Yusuke rose to his feet, pushing away from the wall shouting out what just had to be true. It had to be the truth Kuwabara was not gone.

"HE CAN'T BE DEAD! KUWABARA WOULDN'T LEAVE! YOU HEARD HIM, HE NEEDED ME TO STAY ALIVE, HE WAS ALWAYS GONNA HELP ME! NO MATTER HOW HARD IT WAS, HE SAID HE'D NEVER LEAVE ME!"

"Yusuke, that's enough!" Genkai snapped turning away, as Koenma and Boeton re-entered the room. "He...I felt it...he...he's gone!" She took in a deep breath staring up at her pupil, "Yusuke his spirit is no longer here. I can't feel him anymore. And neither can Shizuru. He's gone Yusuke."Kurama growled and his hair beginning to turn white, shoving his clawed hands to cover his face. "Yusuke shut up...he's gone...Gone."

Yusuke stared at his friend, his face twisting up. Then Yusuke did something most unexpected, he fainted. He dropped like a stone collapsing on his side. When Yusuke crumbled it was as if everything broke. Yukina fell to her knees sobbing loudly picking up a limp Eckiji. Genkai covered her face shaking, and Kurama fully turned into Youko.

Everything had fallen apart.

They'd waited too long to go rescue Kuwabara, and it killed him. After all they'd been through, all the shit they survived…because they had waited Kuwabara died.

Keiko rushed to Yusuke's side, crying out his name. Boeton was crying, looking ready to throw up. Koenma carefully picked Yusuke up, "I'll put him in another room." Not looking back at the others Koenma moved Yusuke to another room. He set Yusuke on the bed and stared down at the dark haired teen. Even in his sleep there was agony decorating every line of his face. "Yusuke I'm sorry…I was too young…to foolish to understand what happened to the people around you when you ignored something this important…I won't do that again!" Koenma promised his voice cracking near the end. He turned away from the former spirit detective and went to join the others.

Meanwhile, Hiei was traveling the way Mukuro had told Boeton to go not just a day ago. He knew she would understand why he had left, she had told him where to go after all. Well, she told Boeton, but it seemed like the same thing. Hiei felt something weigh heavily on his mind. He was not sure what it was, but it seemed strange. Every time he closed his eyes, he felt as if he could feel Kuwabara saying good-bye to him, like at that time Kuwabara fought Resho. He wondered why he envisioned Kuwabara's death in such detail, as him killing himself. Kuwabara would do the same thing over and over again in his mind…thrust his sword into his gut. It had crossed Hiei's mind that Kuwabara might kill himself if whatever torture he was enduring was bad enough, but Hiei (whether he liked to admit it) knew how Kuwabara's mind worked. He was an honorable sap he'd never do himself in, never.

'But then again,' Hiei's mind whispered, 'Samurai's would stab them selves in the gut if they failed there lord, or if they would do it for a greater cause.'

Hiei stopped in his tracks and growled, "Oh shut up."

He pulled the only piece of the letter he hadn't destroyed back out, he'd kept it, despite his wishes to throw it away. The words that bothered him the most were, 'And don't deny it you shrimp, Ten bucks says you love her.' Kuwabara had been talking about Mukuro. Hiei sighed folding the piece of the letter up, "I owe him ten backs? Kuwabara I'll only pay you if you go through Hell and back again…" Hiei snorted, planning on smacking the hell out of Kuwabara when he saw him.

Even further away, somewhere in the darkness…

Kuwabara opened his eyes.

He sat up, staring at his surrounding. He was in a red room that was unlike any he'd ever seen. "What the hell?" He whispered, "Did...did I die?" Kuwabara looked at his stomach, seeing the wound he'd inflicted on himself gone. When he rose, he saw that he could see through the walls. They were glass!

Yes, the red walls were made of glass…but why in the world…?

"I don't understand," Kuwabara, groaned grabbing his head messaging it, "What's going on?" Trying to calm down he approached the walls peering through. Squinting he could almost see every detail of the other surroundings around this red room. 'I'm getting out of here!' Kuwabara finally told himself and began pounding on the glass and soon discovered he had no strength inside this place.

Or maybe he just had no powers at all…

Suddenly the room began moving and he fell hard on his butt, closing his eyes in pain. "Hello Kazuma." He looked up and through the glass seeing what appeared to be a giant Sage peering through him. Kuwabara glared at him shouting, "SAGE! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Sage chuckled, "Are you surprised about your surroundings? Do you know where you are? You're trapped in a red jewel that is only as big as my palm. I'm very grateful you killed yourself, now I don't have to worry about ripping out your soul myself...it's such messy work." Kuwabara growled, and Sage laughed smiling slyly, "Look at your hands."

Kuwabara did, and cried out seeing all his fingers had black strings on them. That meant only one thing.

He was dead.

"You are nothing more than a soul that I trapped inside this jewel. But no one will figure it out, only I can hear you." Sage informed Kuwabara with a smug smile, "Would you like to meet my son?" Sage carried the jewel into a room, and Kuwabara screamed loudly at what he saw. He saw himself, with those creepy crosses in his eyes, standing before him, with a demonic grin stretched across his face. Sage smiled, "My son died three years ago, but I saved his soul, and gave him this body, your body." Kuwabara noticed black rings on the skin around his fingers. "Why the hell does my body have tattoos?" Sage laughed at Kuwabara's question, "So that your friends, and parents, and everyone can see the black string and know that you are dead! That Kazuma Kuwabara has perished from this world!"

Kuwabara shook his head, "No! No! I'm alive! I'M ALIVE! And what is this about my friends?! Are they coming here?! Answer me! ANSWER ME!!"

Sage smiled, "As long as I will allow it you're alive. When we get to gates of hell my son will raise your sword, and just as he is about to slice through the gates, I will release your soul back into your body, and it will be too late to stop it! Then all of Hell can finally break loose! And…yes Kuwabara. Your friends are here, Hiei is the closest…I can feel him. I hope your friends get to see your body this way…" Sage laughed hard, and the false Kuwabara marched forward, the silver staff in hand. "Can he hear me father?" Sage nodded, and the fake Kuwabara leaned forward saying into the jewel, "My correct name is Batto, but I will answer to your name. Do you want to know why I'm going to be borrowing your name? Your friends are going to be coming soon, and they will see me as this. Don't you think it will be funny for them to see their best friend changed?"

Kuwabara sunk to the floor in the red room, and stayed still, "No it isn't me...it isn't me!"

Sage smiled and fastened the jewel in the necklace Kuwabara had seen before. Kuwabara said nothing else, he did not hear them talking, talking about what it will be like for hell to be on earth. Without his knowledge tears began to stream down his face. "It's not right," he whispered, "I killed myself to prevent this…only to find out this was all in the bastard's plans…what gives? Dammit!" Kuwabara closed his eyes, and he began to think.

He remembered one night, right before the Sensui incident, he'd gotten real sick. Shizuru could not stay with him all the time she had to work. But when that happened Yusuke was there. Sure Kurama visited, Kuwabara had even woken up in the middle of the night to see Hiei. Hiei denied ever being there of course. Caring for someone was not Hiei's style, ever. But Yusuke, Yusuke was there, whenever Shizuru just couldn't be…Yusuke was there.

He had been so sick. Puking, coughing, and diarrhea like know tomorrow. These were one of those moments he really wished Yusuke hadn't seen, but Yusuke didn't make fun of him, or chide him. He had smiled and softly helped him rubbing water on the back of his neck when he puked, and even cleaned up a mess he had made. Yusuke had been so uncannily kind to him during this time.

Kuwabara remembered, when he was well enough Yusuke would play video games with him. One time Kuwabara suddenly started choking and couldn't stop. Yusuke had grabbed him, and pat his back. When Kuwabara was done, Yusuke had helped him walk to his room, and made him hot tea with lemon in it, and wouldn't leave until Kuwabara had swallowed every last drop of it. Kuwabara smiled at him then. "Thank you," Kuwabara remembered whispering as he began to fall asleep. Yusuke smiled, that famous cocky smile and told him, "You'd do the same for me, wouldn't you?" Kuwabara nodded, and fell asleep then. Of course when Kuwabara was well Yusuke kept bringing up how utterly disgusting Kuwabara had looked while sick, which spurned a few fights…but Yusuke had still helped Kuwabara.

Yusuke made Kuwabara's days the best days of his life. Yusuke was his best friend, his brother. When Yusuke was gone for those years Kuwabara had never felt so lonely, he missed him as every second went bye. Without warning Kuwabara had suddenly burst into tears.

He'd only gotten one day, no not even a full day, to spend with his best friend. He hadn't gotten to fight, to try to reach his goal to beat him one day. That was what he wanted, more than anything. There was nothing like fighting Yusuke, it was a thrill, and adrenalin rush. Yusuke was the first guy he couldn't win against, and that was the most thrilling part about it. It was hard fighting Yusuke, and that made it fun…

"I'm sorry! Urameshi, I'm so sorry!" Kuwabara sobbed curling up within his smile confinement.

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Yusuke lay still in his room. He could hear the clock ticking by every minute. He couldn't stop thinking of Kuwabara. His best friend was dead...for real? There had to be some mistake, Kuwabara couldn't die, but only five minutes ago Boeton had come in and confirmed it. Kuwabara's soul was no longer among the living. Yusuke didn't know what to do. When Yusuke was gone in Makai, it was fine, Yusuke had known he'd see Kuwabara again as soon as he returned home, but now what? He couldn't rescue Kuwabara this time and mock him for being kidnapped once again. He couldn't make fun of Kuwabara at all anymore! He was gone...

Truly gone.

He rolled over on his back, putting his arm above his head, while the other rest on his stomach. Yusuke raised his hand, and touched his face. It was wet.

"Have I been crying...I didn't notice," Yusuke mused.

He stayed silent and still for a moment, and then reached into his pocket pulling out Kuwabara's wallet. He opened it to stare at the picture Kuwabara had inside there. He looked at Kuwabara's happy face, and his own happy face. "Am I ever going to be that happy again?" He asked himself.

Yusuke Urameshi, for the first time in his life, really felt like he'd lost, and that there was no way to win. How could there be? If he won, if there was a way to win, Kuwabara would be here, and alive, and unscathed or at least mostly so. Maybe Kuwabara would be a little injured, and surely Kuwabara would whine and complain about his body aching, and how he always got the worst of it. Kuwabara would yell at Yusuke who would make fun of him for once again getting himself in trouble…and the two would fight…and that would start the whole cycle over again. But Yusuke knew Kuwabara had his back, just like Yusuke had Kuwabara's.

Yusuke shook his head of these thoughts.

"Stop it Yusuke," The young teen whispered, "Stop torturing yourself!" His face scrunched up, and fresh tears speedily raced down his cheeks…but Yusuke couldn't stop the memories that rushed across his eyelids.

_Kuwabara was yelling at him, while Yusuke was sleeping as Koenma went over their next mission. His face was red with frustration, and soon anger when the "sleeping" Yusuke flipped him off._

"Go away."

_Kuwabara was listening to his cd player on the bullet train, sighing grumpily because he was coming with Yusuke to go see the dentist. Yusuke was still pleading with his best friend to play hooky, promising to pay him. Kuwabara rolled his eyes in annoyance, and then Gave Yusuke a tiny yet comforting smile._

"Just leave me alone!"

_Kuwabara standing in a hunched way, eyes searching for his best friend as he tried to stop his own blood from leaving his body. He was reaching for Yusuke telling him to be stronger, that he had to make this worth it. Had to make his death account for something, and then Kuwabara was falling towards the ground…_

"I...just stop!"

_Yusuke caught Kuwabara who had decided to help them on their mission, despite the fact he was terribly ill. Kuwabara was coughing into his hand and opening his eyes to look up at Yusuke apologetically. He gave a childish pout but couldn't resist leaning into the cool hand that was placed on his brow a moment later._

"I don't want to remember any more!"

_Kuwabara smiling at him and asking, "What now Urameshi? What are we going to do today? Skip class, kick ass, all of the above?" He was standing in his white shirt with the vertical black stripes, and his wrinkled gray jeans. Kuwabara was smiling and turned staring back at Yusuke, eyes filled with loyalty and adoration for his friend._

Yusuke grabbed his pillow and crushed it to his face, muffling his scream. The scream broke the spell at least for a little while, and the memories stopped.

He remembered when Kuwabara had sobbed out to him when Itsuki imprisoned Kuwabara he had told him that there was nothing wrong with guys needing each other. He had sobbed, 'if you're gone then who am I?'

Yusuke removed the pillow from his face, "Kuwabara...your...can you tell me who I am now? Now that you're gone can you tell me who I am!? You fuckin' ugly asshole…it works both ways! If I wasn't allowed to leave then you weren't allowed to leave either God dammed prick!!"

Yusuke closed his eyes, and saw Kuwabara standing before him. He was smiling, and then he wasn't. The smiled had slid right off his face and was now open in shock. Blood had appeared, and a staff had been shoved through Kuwabara's back, and come out his chest. Kuwabara glanced down at the injury and dropped like a stone whispering, "Ura...meshi...it hurts." Sage yanked the staff out, and began laughing at the dying man who looked at Yusuke for help…

Yusuke sat up, his fists clenched shaking the horrid vision from thought. "I know...there is one thing I can do," His eyes narrowed, "I'm gonna get my revenge...No…I'm going to get Kuwabara's revenge! I vow to avenge the both of us buddy!" Yusuke rose, wiped his wet face and ripped open the door, pulling it off its hinges. All but Youko Kurama was sitting down. They looked at Yusuke, looking at him, afraid at what might happen.

"Grab that map Kurama, we're going now. There is one thing we can still do. We can get our revenge." Youko Kurama nodded viciously, and snatched the map off the floor. "Wait Yusuke-" Yusuke grabbed Koenma roughly by his shirt, "Shut up, you're not talking me out of this." Koenma glared at him, "You dumbass. I was merely going to tell you I can get you a ride to get there, it'll be faster."

Yusuke released him, "Good. We're going to kill Sage. If I die, then it'll be a blessing, but I hope I live. No one is going to bear this burden, as heavy as I will. No one."

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Hiei had stopped for a rest, and watched the fire roast his kill for his lunch. Something was sitting uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach, something cold and heavy. He tried not to think of it but…Hiei had this unsettling feeling Kuwabara was dead. And the mere thought…well it was surprisingly horrible. Hiei had often enjoyed imagining running a blade through the chattering human but…Hiei sighed staring off in the direction he was headed.

"Kuwabara...I've threatened to kill your pathetic hide for a long time, since I met you, but now that there's a possibility you're really gone…I just can't seem to feel happy about it."

**End of chapter three.**

well aren't you glad kuwa is still alive? And aren't you pissed that the others aren't going to find out any time soon?

well next episode is the journey there. yusuke & kurama show up and free kuwabara's parents, and catch a glimpse at the false Kuwabara.


	4. Episode Four:False Hope

Well let's press on shall we? (revised chapter)

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**EPISODE FOUR: FALSE HOPE**

Hiei had once more stopped in his march but this time not to rest, for now he could see the mountains. "I'm almost there…" Hiei mused; even he was able to hear the shock in his voice. With every step, every breath, every snap of twigs under his feet, he wondered why he was pressing on. Was there a real reason to continue when he didn't even know if Kuwabara was alive.

"Kuwabara are you dead?" Hiei asked aloud. Hiei sighed shaking his head and jumped up into a tree. He sat on the highest tree branch, and looked at the ominous towers of rocks. He saw that there was a very large black spot on the mountain, and he could even see the smoke with his sharp demon eyes. Someone had been burning the mountain that much was obvious. "What for...?" Hiei whispered to himself.

Hiei looked sharply down as he heard the sound of two pairs of feet approaching this way. When they were directly under him, the owners of the pair of feet stopped just below him. It was two demons, one rather tall while the other was just barely taller then Hiei himself. The demons were laughing at each other, until the shorter of the two suddenly asked in a cracking voice, "Maki, why are we doing guard duty? Who are we guarding our master from?" The taller one rubbed his chin looking at his shorter friend. He smirked and then whispered, "Ah Testu, don't you know anything?! Sage has killed _THE_ Yusuke Urameshi's best friend!"

Hiei turned his hands to fists, and paid close attention to these demons now. Kuwabara was dead after all…and Hiei planned to find out how his former teammate had died.

Testu, the shorter one, paled, "Are you serious!?...Why would...why would Master Sage do a thing like that!?"

"Well…to be accurate the human did it himself, it was Yusuke's best friend who took his own life, But Sage played a big part in it!"

Hiei shook his head sharply when he heard this. Surely the demon was kidding! Kuwabara would never take his own life he was too noble for that! However, Hiei could not deny the sinking feeling in his gut.

"Sage took the human to see the gates of Purgatory…those gates make you crazy. I'm not surprised the human killed himself at all. However that best friend of Yusuke's…uh Kuwabara! That it! Kuwabara," Maki continued unaware of the danger in the branch above him, "Yeah well Kuwabara is weaker then his parents. They saw the gates and went crazy for a little while but they didn't kill themselves like he did."

"Then he is the son of Kazuma, and Kari Kuwabara?"

"Yep."

"How did he die?"

Maki smiled, "I told you! The fool killed himself!"

Hiei took in a sharp breath, his eyes going wide. 'So he was serious…Kuwabara…' Hiei was reeling with this new information. He couldn't believe this. Kuwabara had killed himself…why? Why? Hiei's tortured thoughts were interrupted by the shorter demon's laughter.

"So you are serious!" Testu said with a smile, "But why? Surely just seein' the gates wouldn't make ya off yourself!" The taller demon Maki laughed, "Yeah well…I guess it's what Sage said to Kuwabara that really made the human do it. Sage told the human he was going to make him open the gates of Purgatory, that he'd kill everyone he loved, his parents, his friends, even his sister if he didn't open those gates. It's said, that he called forth this orange sword and shoved it right through his gut!"

Testu laughed delighted with this explanation, "Ha! That's funny! Right through the gut, did his spine shatter?"

Hiei felt his temper flare and he glared at the ones below him.

"Nah, just missed it," was Maki's reply.

Testu pouted, "Maki...is he really dead?"

Maki nodded, "Yes, Sage said he saw the black string of death himself, but...apparently Sage kept the body."

Both Hiei, Testu raised their brows but it was Testu that asked, "Why keep a useless dead body?"

Maki smirked, "The gates of Purgatory need a blood sacrifice, I don't know how he's going to open those stubborn gates, but he'll manage…but you can bet what Master Sage is going to use that human's body for!" Testu and Maki made some gestures, as if throwing a log on to a fire and burst into loud laughter. After their laughs subside the two sunk into a silence. And then Testu rubbed his chin, "I'm surprised the human didn't die…wasn't he in there a long time with the gates?"

"He didn't die…but he did get branded," Maki said with another smirk. He seemed to be enjoying being able to give out so much information. Hiei was grateful for this demon too, so grateful that when Hiei got all the information he needed he planned on "rewarding," the demon for his knowledge.

"Oh?" Testu gasped urging his friend to go on.

"Crosses appeared in his eyes. That meant he was pure hearted, that Yenma himself recognized him of having a pure heart!"

"Rare...too bad Master Sage has his body, a pure heart sounds tasty."

As the two laughed they weren't expecting someone to drop down on their shoulders, and crush both their necks. "Bastards." Hiei muttered wiping his bloody hands on their shirts. He sat down next to the bodies, not caring that his clothes were beginning to get soaked. He sighed with annoyance, "So you really are dead, huh Kuwabara?" Hiei rose shaking his stained cloak. "Then there is no real reason for me to press on."

Hiei turned around, but stopped as something flashed in his eyes. He could see Kuwabara lying on the ground in his mind's eye, flies buzzing around him. He wasn't buried, Hiei knew that much. Hiei took a second step forward and saw Kuwabara's body going to hell, someone throwing it in.

Another step.

Kuwabara decomposing.

Another step.

Two figures…Kuwabara's parents.

Hiei stopped, and turned around to look at the mountain.

Maybe there was a reason to go back. He could free Kuwabara's parents...isn't that what got Kuwabara killed anyway? He sighed, he respected Kuwabara, not much but it was still there. "I at least owe him that much..." Hiei sighed, turned around, stepping over the two corpses and went back on his way.

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Yusuke and Kurama stared at the two creatures Koenma had brought for their transportation. They were huge, about the size of an elephant. They had thick hair, and two flat tails, with short bristles hanging off their pathetic excuse of a tail. Their paws were separated into three furry toes, shaped like that of a bird. Their fur was gray, and tangled, and they chewed on something unknown as they stared blankly at Yusuke and Kurama.

"Is this what will get us to the Husane Mountains?"

"Yes," Koenma said coolly. "Trust me...they'll fly you all the way to the Husane Mountains and back again." The beasts let out a strange roar, and both got on their knees, waiting for Kurama, and Yusuke to get on. "You honestly expect me to believe these things can fly?" Koenma nodded, and pat the creatures sides, "Go on. Get on, and see for yourself." Kurama and Yusuke approached the beasts, getting on carefully, to their surprise they rose a few feet into the air. "Just call out the directions, they'll find they're smart," Koenma said with a nod of his head. Yusuke nodded, he's been very quiet since he exited the room and declared he would get revenge for Kuwabara. Youko Kurama had a most bitter look on his face, as if something foul was under his nose, and he couldn't get rid of the stench.

"Yusuke!" Said person looked down, Koenma's eyes shown brightly, tears making them shine. "Kill the bastard Yusuke...and when he comes...I'll make sure to punish him good." Yusuke nodded offering a small smile, "Thanks for caring Koenma…" and with that turned the creature beneath him to the left, Youko's creature following after. Koenma watched them disappear, and he fell to his knees. "Father...look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into...look what we've done." Koenma sighed, and looked at the skies watching his two friends and former spirit detectives fly away.

"Everyone is going away...leaving...Soon no one will be left." Koenma placed a hand to his eyes, "I never meant for this...I never meant for this!"

_"I know…"_

Koenma shot his head up, "Ku...Kuwabara?"

Koenma had heard Kuwabara's voice he swore it.

_"Not...fault...I forgive..."_

"Ku...KUWABARA I KNOW IT'S YOU! ARE YOU ALIVE...WHERE ARE YOU?!" Koenma began to scream, spinning around looking for the man that wasn't there. "Koenma..." He turned sharply to see Boeton. She looked worried, and took his arm, "Koenma...were you just calling for Kuwabara?" Koenma took her hands, pale and shaking, "Boeton, I heard him! I heard him! I heard his voice...right inside my head!" Boeton looked at Koenma, who suddenly began sinking to the ground, she following suit.

She took the demi-God in her arms, and whispered, "You're hearing voices in your head? Koenma...please don't lose it...please..." Koenma let her pull him to her, so that his head was resting on her bosom. His pacifier slipped out of his mouth, and he took her by the elbows. "This was my fault...MY STUPID FAULT! I knew hiding this from him was a bad idea, but I...I had to listen to my father..." Boeton rested her head on Koenma's head, and she let tears fall from her eyes, "I'm at fault with you...It was my fault just as much as it was yours. I wasn't bound to secretes by your father...I was just do scared. I didn't want to tell Kuwabara!"

Silence followed after and Koenma whispered, "Kuwabara really did look like his father." Koenma went silent again, and made a strange noise. "I just talked about Kuwabara in the past tense didn't I?" Boeton nodded, "Yes, Lord Koenma."

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Kuwabara lay within the red glassy walls staring up ahead at the red all around him. He was exhausted. He'd stretched his mind out, and tried to reach everyone. He managed to get Koenma for a second, but he had a feeling the demi-God just thought he was going crazy. He was tired, and felt weak. The necklace he was trapped in was often jostled about, and if he weren't just a soul he'd throw up. Kuwabara looked at his hand, he could see right through it. Funny...that day during Genkai's tournament, when he'd left his body to speak with Yusuke. He hadn't noticed that he was like a piece of cellophane; able to be seen through…almost invisible…then again maybe he wasn't…maybe Kuwabara was just going crazy.

He hated this room…everything was intensified. Pain, his emotions, his hearing…that was how it was now. Everything was multiplied. And currently the only thing he felt was sorrow, and hate. Though there was nothing that should hurt, everything did. It ached all inside him it was slow torture. He tried to reach Kurama, Hiei, and...

"Urameshi..." He whispered. Kuwabara had tried to reach him the most, but it was as if Yusuke had shut down, he couldn't get past the walls in Yusuke's mind that he set up. Kuwabara sighed and looked at his right hand. He could see a black string, thick and darker than the night, wrapped around his ring finger. He found that ironic, being as it was where a wedding band would go, and the band represented love, and being tied to the one you loved. But this black string, this death string was on his ring finger now. "So strange..." He whispered to himself.

On his thumb, he could see a white string, it was barely visible, but with his keen eyes he still saw it. "Hmph...Sage really is going to bring me back from the dead...just to open those gates..." He closed his eyes, "If only I hadn't come, if only I had killed myself quicker." Kuwabara went quiet, and sighed when he saw Sage come in and greet the false Kuwabara, that wore the real Kuwabara trapped in a stone around his neck.

"Son, let us open the gates."

"No father."

Kuwabara sat up surprised, was he hearing this guy right?

"What?" Sage's face, had turned slightly red, he took in a deep breath, "Why Batto?" Batto made Kuwabara's face twist in an ugly fashion, "Yusuke will be here soon, I want him to see his best friend like this." Sage smiled, "Yes...my clever, clever boy." Kuwabara laid back limply on the ground. He felt drained of all energy. Closing his eyes, he sighed, and went back to sleep.

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Kurama and Yusuke rode towards the Husane Mountains in silence, the cool breeze brushing over them. "Kurama..." Yusuke finally spoke, the fox demon looking at him. "Yes?" It was now night and the moon's pale light reflected off his face and shone on his silver hair. Yusuke took in a deep breath and asked, "How do you think he died?"

Kurama looked at Yusuke, "I don't think we should talk about this."

"But I want to...I don't know what about...but I just want to talk about Kuwabara," Yusuke insisted softly. He turned to look back at Kurama, "Please…?"

Kurama looked at Yusuke's pleading face and sighed, "Well I'm not sure how he died...but we both know how he lived. But you know more than me, don't you Yusuke?" Kurama let out a soft sigh, his silver hair shining all the brighter, "Tell me of the time before you and I met."

Yusuke smiled, "As you know...Kuwabara and I were enemies or rivals, whatever you want to call it, until I died. When I died he showed up at my funeral, screaming at me to get out of the coffin," Yusuke chuckled, "and he was crying. He started to cry, and I remember that the most, him crying. I never would have guessed. He needed me, and it shocked the hell out of me. Once, right before Sensui, I asked why he had been crying that day. He said, 'Urameshi you ass, haven't you figured it out? You're my goal I want to beat you. I want to get stronger. Without you I got nothin' left to do…nothin' but die.' Kuwabara laughed and then he had added, 'But I don't think I stand a chance now...all that stupid demon blood. But I won't give up, a man doesn't make excuses for his weaknesses.' Kuwabara's just always been so honest about wanting to beat me…" Yusuke sighed, "I'd been beating up Kuwabara for a long time, maybe two years. I met him in sixth grade actually."

Yusuke looked at the moon, "It was raining, and I found him laying in the ally outside my house. He'd gotten beat up saving some kid, and the brat just left him there bleeding, with his eyes closed up from bruises. As I went to him, I saw some other kids, much older than us, all knocked out. I had to admit, I was impressed with what I saw. With my Mom, I dragged him into the house. We didn't know where he lived so we, or should I say "I", took care of him. Mom got drunk, so it was up to me. When he awoke first thing he asked was, "The kid okay?" I had no idea what he was talking about, but looked so miserable, so tired, so sick, so I told him, "Yeah. The kid said thank you." He smiled and closed his eyes falling asleep Again."

"It was the next day when Kuwabara woke up. He didn't remember a thing, we got into a fight somehow, and that was the first time we fought. We wouldn't meet again until 8th grade. He hadn't forgotten me, but...I had. Later, right before the Sensui incident, he prodded me trying to get me to remember. I was surprised when I finally did." Yusuke laughed, "I had thought he was making the whole thing up."

Yusuke paused and after a good intake a breath he whispered, "I think I started to become friends with him when I was dead. We had a stupid teacher, a jackass of a man, well he went out of his way to make every student's life miserable," Yusuke snorted, "especially us thugs. His name was Mr. Akashi, and when Kuwabara saved Keiko, he tried to punish one of his friends, you remember them right?"

"Yes, the ones Mitari attacked," Youko whispered letting Yusuke talk. These stories seemed very important to Yusuke and right now, they were also important to Kurama.

Yusuke nodded, "Well he made Kuwabara promise not to fight for a full week. Not a good idea being as he had to fight of revengeful gangs all the time. That was the longest week I had ever seen. The first day of the bet, that ass, Mr. Akashi had gotten the three Kuwabara had beaten up to save Keiko to attack Kuwabara. He thought Kuwabara would fight back, but Kuwabara made a promise. "It's against my honor code to break a promise, I'll never do it!" He told me that before we fought Dr. Ichigaki's team, I think that's why he couldn't hurt those three he'd promised to help them. Anyway, for several days he got beat up, and on top of that. Mr. Akashi forced him to agree to pass the science test with at least a fifty or Okubo would be punished for it. He wasn't good at Science, Hell he and I both suck at it!"

"His friends saw how beat up he was getting, and practically begged him to stop. You know what he said?" Yusuke looked at Kurama who remained silent waiting patiently for Yusuke to speak again. Yusuke chuckled lowly and saying in a wavering voice, "He said, "It's okay, I've been missing my daily beatings since Urameshi has been gone." I felt...a strange pain in my chest. I didn't know how willing he was to help his friends. I also couldn't help but notice he talked about me as if I was still here, but just on vacation or something like that. I did my best to help him. Helping him study in his dreams, and even possessing a girl so I could beat the crap out of these guys that were going to beat him up. He passed, but the ass wipe erased his last answer making him fail, but another teacher made him correct it. Somehow when it was all over Kuwabara turned around, knowing I was there. He couldn't see me, but he said, "Thanks man." And that was that. I guess that was when I began liking him, it was a slow friendship...but...since I came back from the dead I can't help but feel protective over him."

"I think we all do." Kurama smiled at him, he was fading back into his red headed, normal self, his anger finally going away. "I think even then, though you knew nothing of your demon blood, you sensed his body was a lot more fragile than yours, and that his life was shorter."

"Maybe," Yusuke whispered, "I just know...somehow from that moment, from when he thanked me, I began to like him. No one has ever thanked me for a damn thing before…but he did. It was a different experience; it felt kind of nice too. For a long time we still beat each other up, hell we even do it now, though we don't do it anymore to hurt each other, it's just all in good fun. I remember everything we'd been through. You know out of all the cases, there is one thing that has always ticked me off."

"The Toguro incident?" Kurama asked thinking that the likely choice.

"No," Yusuke shook his head, "it was the first day I'd come back alive, and when I did I went out to a restaurant. This guy there, with a demon possessing him, was blackmailing Kuwabara. Trying to get him to steal, at first I thought he did because he dumped out this bag of books, right? And then the guy held out a receipt showing Kuwabara had bought the books. The guy made Kuwabara get down on his knees and ask for forgiveness because he hadn't stolen these books. He had Kuwabara's cat, Eckiji hostage. She was just a kitten then. I thought he was the dumbest person alive until I found out why he was doing this. Kuwabara...it took me a bit...but I found out he loves all living things, even if he's afraid of them. The guy took him out in the alley, and told him to hit his friends, or he'd kill the cat. Kuwabara was torn he wouldn't do it. I thought he was going to throw up his face had twisted in torment. He couldn't hit his friends, but he wouldn't be able to take it if his cat was killed. That's when I showed up, saved the day, and caught the bad guy. When Boeton took the demon to Spirit World, she had to convince me to stop shaking the little prick."

Kurama laughed, "I think I would have done the same." His red hair flapped in the wind, and he pointed out in the distance. "There. The Husane Mountains." Yusuke looked over at the tall mountains. "See that spot, that large black spot? I bet that's where they are." Yusuke and Kurama guided the creatures to fly lower, and they did. When they landed, the beasts made small sounds of protest. They refused to put their paws on the black ground, so Yusuke and Kurama had to jump on the ground. The animals headed off into the woods, and Yusuke shrugged figuring they'd find the creatures later. They stayed low to the ground, and made their way to a small hut closest, to what looked like a mansion. Before they even reached the hut, the door was swung open.

"Ku...Kuwabara?" Yusuke dared to ask, staring at the man. The man waved his arms, and invited them in. Kurama tried to stop Yusuke, but the teen eagerly followed. Kurama rushed after Yusuke, and when they both were inside the little hut with a few candles burning, they saw that it was an older couple. "Kuwabara...I...I think you are talking...Were you talking about my son?" The man with brown hair, but with the face of Yusuke's best friend, took a woman by her shoulders as she began to sob. "You are...are you Kuwabara's parents?" Kurama asked. The woman nodded, covering her mouth, "Our baby..." The man looked at Yusuke and Kurama, eyes moist from unshed tears. "We're Kazuma Kuwabara, and Kari Kuwabara...I'm guessing my son goes by his last name?" Yusuke couldn't look up at the man, "That is what I've always called him..."

"Urameshi."

Yusuke's head shot up, and he starred into the older man's face, "I remember when we were allowed to spend time with our son, he spoke of his best friend. He called him Urameshi." Kazuma sat down chuckling, "Very amusing stories." Yusuke sat down on a handcrafted bench, Kurama on his other side. "Half are probably exaggerated, if he said he beat me in a fight he was lying." Yusuke teased. Kari's soft voice entered the conversation. "He never did…he always said he lost to you…"

It went silent, and she whispered, "Seven years...seven years since I had last seen my son, and my daughter. I celebrated every birthday they had." Smiling, but with tears racing down her cheeks she smiled, "Did you know Kuwabara wanted to join this soccer team, I was going to sign him up the day before we were taken."

"Why were you taken?" Kurama gently asked.

"To open the gates of Purgatory." Kazuma sighed, rubbing his beard. "Only those with a high amount of spirit awareness, and an innocent heart can cut down the gates...as well as some sort of special weapon that resembles a sword."

Yusuke and Kurama's eyes both widened at that. He was speaking of Kuwabara's Jigen-To…without a doubt in their minds that's what it had to be!

Kazuma rubbed his brow and continued, "Only reason God lets anyone be able to open the gates of Hell is because no pure hearted person would do it." Kari took her husbands hands, "But Sage...he must have found a loophole when he decided to bring Kazu..." She trailed off, and the parents grew quiet. Yusuke leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and hands on the back of his neck. He stayed that way and asked, "Did Kuwabara die?" Kazuma and Kari stared at him. Yusuke looked pleadingly at the two, "Please...did he die. I just...I need to hear the words...I don't want to go up there and kill that little ass thinking I have false hope. If Kuwabara's dead...I need to know before I go after Sage."

Kari did not look at him, but Kazuma nodded, "Yes. He killed himself. Sage was going to make him open those gates, how I don't know...but I think it's partially my fault." Kari added softly, "And mine." Kazuma looked at her and continued on, "Sage said he would send us to hell if Kuwabara did not do what he asked, he also threatened his friends, and everyone he ever loved. Kuwabara knew...if he was gone...there would be no way for that little..." Kazuma took in a deep breath, "That there would be no way for Sage to open the gates, or to really threaten us. So I guess, he decided that he had to die, that he'd be the sacrifice." Yusuke rose, fists clenched and face downwards. He was shaking, and tears were rapidly dripping down his face, "That...THAT IDIOT!" Yusuke flipped over the bench, Kurama rising hurriedly to get out of it.

Yusuke faced a corner, head bent down, and hands on his hips. "That...you know! He said once he wouldn't die until he beat me, well you know...YOU HAVEN'T BEATEN ME YET! Lying son of a bitch…oh well! I don't care!" Kazuma was making his way over to Yusuke, who was carrying on, babbling to make himself calm down. "You know...that stupid, honorable, bastard of a friend couldn't take it when I died, but I guess he **assumed** it'd be ok if he was gone! Well you stupid, ugly, oaf of a man you...bah. Good I'm glad he's gone! I won't miss him one fuckin' bit!" Kazuma turned Yusuke gently around, meeting his sad brown eyes. Tears were streaming down Yusuke's face, and Kazuma took the young boy in his arms, and secured him in a hug.

Yusuke wept, moaning, "It's wrong...he can't die. He just can't…I told him that before dammit…" Kazuma said nothing, no tears in his eyes as he held the boy without a father. Yusuke uncharacteristically clung to the taller man allowing himself just this once, to be comforted in this fashion. Kurama looked at the older man, and wondered if this would be making things worse. He could understand why Kuwabara shared his fist name with his father. They were twins the only difference was the hair color and of course the age. He prayed Yusuke wouldn't confuse the two. And at the same time, this man, Kazuma had just seen his son die, would he take Yusuke under his wing? As dawn rose, Kazuma pulled Yusuke away ruffling Yusuke's hair, "Let's get him. Let's get him for my son."

"For your son eh?" The door to the hut was kicked down, and everyone froze at whom they saw. Kuwabara stepped in, wearing strange clothes, and holding a silver staff. He smiled, a fake smile, and extended his arms towards the group, "Hi dad, Hi Mom! I'm home!"

**End of this chapter!**

So Yusuke is about to meet fake Kuwabara...and it's about time Hiei joined the group? Where is that little devil?


	5. Episode Five:The Man With Crosses In His...

Next episode! twa!

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**EPISODE FIVE: THE MAN WITH CROSSES IN HIS EYES**

Kurama immediately knew something was wrong, Kazuma, and Kari screaming helped tip him off...but Yusuke seemed unaware…A smile had slowly curled on his face, which had twisted, and now looked slightly crazed, his eyes were blank and dead. He laughed strangely; the same laugh Kuwabara had given when Sensui had killed Yusuke not too long ago. Yusuke reached for Kuwabara, "Ha good one Kuwabara...you look weird. Did'ja...did'ja fake your death Kuwabara? You clever son of a bitch! How'd you do it…huh? How'd you do it?" He slowly approached him, Kurama screaming at Yusuke to stop.

Kuwabara looked at Kurama, and Kurama's breath stilled, "Kuwabara your eyes." Kurama had noticed the strange crosses in his eyes. Kuwabara sneered at him, and then looked back down at Yusuke who had stopped in front of him. His shoulders were pushed forward, and his hands were shaking as he reached to grab a hold of Kuwabara's cloak. Kurama, Kari, and Kazuma gasped as this strange new Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke, and hugged him. Yusuke's dim crazed eyes became less dim as he rest his cheek on Kuwabara's chest, as the taller man hugged Yusuke tightly.

The sight looked so peaceful that Kurama and Kuwabara's parents relaxed. Yusuke and Kuwabara were reunited…things were back to normal. Kuwabara held Yusuke safe in his arms, "Urameshi…" he whispered, Yusuke opening his eyes as Kuwabara began to bend down towards him. Kuwabara's nose moved to Yusuke's ear and he whispered, "Notice something missing?" Yusuke's eyes snapped open, and he pulled back as much as he could, for Kuwabara had a fierce grip on his shoulders.

"Your...Your..." Yusuke tried to gasp out the words but it was like trying to breathe underwater. He just couldn't say it.

Kuwabara placed his hand on his chest, "I have no heart beat!" He laughed, and removed his hand from his chest, "See these tattoo's? My father thought I should have these so you could see the black string...the black string I so proudly wear!"

Kazuma approached him, missing the point Kuwabara was making, "I didn't want you to have tattoos!" Kuwabara glared at the man, "Not you human, my real father!" And that was when Sage entered the small hut smiling, "Now son, be kind to our guests." Kazuma's face twisted angrilly, and he grabbed the smaller man, "HE IS MY SON NOT YOURS!" Kuwabara grabbed Kazuma and threw him through the hut wall, Kari screaming and running for her husband. "Don't touch my father with your filthy hands!" Kuwabara growled angrily.

Kurama was now shaking Yusuke who hadn't moved to make an escape from Kuwabara. "Yusuke! Yusuke com-" Kuwabara punched Kurama in the face, and he to went flying. That seemed to snap Yusuke out of it, and he shoved Kuwabara off him. "You...You are not Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara smiled, "I am the new Kuwabara...THE BETTER KUWABARA!" He laughed as Kurama helped Kazuma up who was staring at his son. "No...not my boy..." Kazuma whispered.

Meanwhile in the necklace, the real Kuwabara was going insane.

He pounded on the red jewel walls, and screamed, until his voice was hoarse. His fists were bruised, and stung his skin as they began to become rubbed raw and chapped from the constant contact. He sunk to his knees crying angrily, tears dripping down his face. "He's not me! It's Batto! BATTO! THAT MAN IS BATTO-HE'S NOT ME!! I'M IN HERE! **I'M** KUWABARA!" He fell back, and smashed his hands over and over into the wall. He had to get out he had to. "You bastard. You touched my parents, touched my friends, you hit Kurama, and now you're fucking with my **BEST** friend's head! I SWEAR I'M GONNA GET OUT AND KILL YOU!"

Kuwabara stopped screaming when he heard Yusuke's laughter.

Yusuke had fallen down to his knees, and was laughing, eyes closed. Everyone was looking at him, and finally when Yusuke stopped he stared at the fake Kuwabara before him with such a look, they all had never seen before. "You've got to be kidding...If this is Kuwabara...then your fucked...SOMEONE WITH A PURE HEART HAS TO OPEN THE GATES, AND HE'S NO LONGER PURE HEARTED!" Sage chuckled silencing Yusuke. "Yes he is. This, my son, is being controlled...by me of course. Your friend is seeing everything that is going on but is not taking part of it. I have brain washed your dear, dear Kuwabara and now look at him! He has become my wonderful son!"

As Sage laughed, inside the necklace Kuwabara was screaming, and hitting the walls harder, he also had started kicking at the red glass walls. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! THAT'S-NOT-ME! NOT-ME! URAMESHI-HE'S-A-FAKE-THAT'S-NOT-ME!" After every word he slammed his fists into the glass wall, followed by a solid kick. Kuwabara finally pressed his head to the wall in exhaustion. "No...no please...please stop! Please…please…URAMESHI, KILL THAT THING!"

Yusuke stared at the man who he believed was Kuwabara, "It's not him! I know it's not!" Yusuke whispered though he didn't sound so convinced himself. Sage laughed and looked back at Kuwabara, "Son, take care of him." Kuwabara smiled at Yusuke, though the smile was Batto's and not the real Kuwabara's. He ran forward, and his glowing orange sword was out within a second. Kurama jumped in front of Yusuke rose whip out. Kuwabara laughed, and smashed his brow with Kurama's.

'His strength...it's that of a demons!' Kurama's mind told him as he stumbled back, reeling from this hit. He opened his eyes slowly, and found himself looking deep within Kuwabara's pale blue eyes. The crosses in those eyes scared him, and he now knew for sure, Kuwabara had seen the gates. Kuwabara smiled eyes closed, hiding those crosses, which meant so much, and let out a childish giggle before smashing his fist into Kurama's stomach, and sending him crashing into another hut.

Yusuke sat on the ground staring at what could not be Kuwabara. This couldn't be Kuwabara! Kuwabara was kind, gentle, and cared about all living things. He had a goofy grin, and laugh. During horror movies his mouth would always be hanging open from utter terror. Kuwabara would break into unbelievably violent shivers when around an aggressive spirit, but when Yusuke placed a hand on him Kuwabara would give this smile that showed how thankful he was. _That_ was Yusuke's best friend; this…this thing standing before him couldn't be his best friend…could it?

Yusuke heard footsteps and watched as his best friend came to him, and Yusuke stared up at him, eyes glazed over with confusion, and self hate. Kuwabara raised the sword, to slice Yusuke's neck, but when he brought it down, he stopped a mere inch away from Yusuke's neck.

Batto was getting into his act of "a brain washed and controlled Kuwabara."

He made Kuwabara's body tremble, and his sword went away, as he grabbed his head.

The real Kuwabara, called out, "Batto you bastard! STOP THAT DAMMIT! STOP MESSING WITH URAMESHI!"

Sage frowned, wondering what Batto was doing. Realization quickly flashed over his eyes, and he smiled secretly to himself. "Kuwabara" moaned with pain and dropped to his knees, "Ura...meshi..." He gasped out. Kari had to be held back by her husband who was crying out for his son. Kurama stood a little ways behind Yusuke eyes wide, and rose whip hanging in his limp grip. Yusuke's mouth came open, and as Kuwabara fell forwards Yusuke caught him. "Ura..." Kuwabara whispered, "Run Uram...run...ru..." Kuwabara pointed to his chest, and whispered, "Evil." Yusuke shook his head, "No...No you're not evil! You're not evil! Hang on buddy...I'll get you out of this!"

Inside the red jewel, Kuwabara sat limply, and let tears wash down his face. He was helpless…Kuwabara hadn't felt this helpless and useless since Sensui. Kuwabara's dead eyes looked at Yusuke, knowing those words Yusuke were saying was truly meant for him. "Please Yusuke kill it...I don't want him in my body anymore...even if it means I'll be here forever...even if I'll never see you or anyone else again, you gotta kill my body and stop Batto! Please…please Urameshi…stop...KILL HIM!"

Batto smiled as Yusuke held him, and calling Kuwabara's sword, quickly changed rolls again, and stabbed Yusuke in the gut. The sword was not shoved far in thought, because then, "Kuwabara," ripped himself from Yusuke holding his head and groaning. Sage snapped his fingers, and the other tattoo that read "miniera" glowed, and electricity washed over Kuwabara's body. Batto did not feel the pain, but Kuwabara inside the jewel did. He screamed, and that was what his friends heard. Sage sighed, "My dear son don't betray me again!"

"Kuwabara," stood weakly and stared down at Yusuke. Tears fell down his face, as he raised the sword looking at Yusuke. Batto was a very good actor. Yusuke laid on the ground, shoving his hand into his wound, face white. "No Kuwabara..." Kurama cried out running for Yusuke, knowing he wouldn't get there. Inside the jewel, Kuwabara swayed, and collapsed. He stared down at Yusuke, and closed his eyes, fainting from the pain of the electricity that had shocked his very soul. Kuwabara's sword was about to be thrust into Yusuke's chest, when another blade stopped his.

"That's enough human."

Kuwabara stared coldly at this new man.

Sage growled with frustration.

Yusuke stared at him in shock.

Kurama couldn't resist smiling.

Kari looked on in confusion.

Kazuma stared with blinking eyes.

Hiei had stopped Kuwabara's blade…Hiei was finally here.

He looked at Kuwabara's eyes, and sighed, "So, you've seen the gates of hell...and you're dead too. Wow...why does none of this surprise me?"

Kuwabara pulled his sword away, and held it out in front of him. "Ah Hiei...nice to see you again." His face twisted into something ugly, "Why didn't you come to see me after everything was done in that damn tournament? Too big and bad to come see a fellow comrade…see a friend?" Batto had access to all of Kuwabara's memories, and was using it against Hiei. Hiei winced, and that was all the time Batto needed to use Kuwabara's sword, and cut Hiei's side. Hiei winced and dropped to one knee. Kuwabara raised his sword again, but something flew over his head, and smashed into him.

The strange beasts had arrived sensing the battle and distress of the men that brought them here. Kurama helped Kari, and Kazuma onto one of the beasts, Kazuma moaning in pain. Kurama hopped on behind them, "HIEI! GET YUSUKE ON THE SECOND ONE!" Hiei nodded, and scooped up Yusuke, who was bleeding badly, and no longer even trying to stop it. As they flew off, Yusuke stared at Kuwabara, who watched them go. Yusuke scrunched up his face, and screamed, "NOOOOOO!" as they flew off.

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Yusuke was asleep.

He was bandaged up, and had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as Hiei had landed the beast. Hiei and Kurama looked at him taking care of his injuries, and then tended to Kari and Kazuma. Kazuma had broken ribs, which he said didn't bother him. His eyes were filled with sorrow. He simply thanked them for tending to him and he laid down, his wife curled up beside him. She was singing a song that made Kurama's stomach turn over. It was a song Kurama's mother used to sing to him when he was little, and he had a feeling Kari sang that song to Kuwabara when he was baby.

"Hiei," Kurama said looking at the short demon as he wrapped himself up, "Thank you." Hiei glared at him, "I only came back because I owe Kuwabara…something." Hiei turned away from Kurama who smiled. Hiei jumped as two teardrops decided to stream down Kurama's beautiful face. "You can't give him anything now...he's gone." Hiei didn't look at him, "No..." Hiei whispered hoarsely, "Sage said he brainwashed him. Kuwabara is somewhere in that shell you know he is!"

"Who are we all kidding?"

Hiei and Kurama jumped shocked at the voice. Hiei and Kurama looked over at Yusuke who had just spoken his eyes now open. "We'll never get him out. The only way to save him would be to kill him." Hiei sighed looking at Yusuke, "Do you really think you could do that Yusuke? You think **you** could kill the human?" When Yusuke rolled over and said nothing Hiei grew angry. "Well?! Do you think you could kill him?! YUSUKE DAMMIT ANSWER ME!!" Hiei demanded harshly Kurama placing a hand on Hiei's shoulder to calm him down.

"Then so be it...if we must, we will. That time hasn't come yet, so for now...we don't have to dwell on it." Yusuke said calmly, "Now shut up you two…I'm trying to sleep." And with that Yusuke fell asleep...or at least was faking it.

"Poor Yusuke…" Kurama whispered feeling his throat close.

"He didn't mean any of what he said…if we can't get the fool back to his old self it'll be us that will have to ki…" Hiei trailed off suddenly angry. He cursed under his breath, rose and left to go be by himself. Kurama sat still between the slumbering Yusuke, and Hiei's fading back. This was not how Kurama expected things to be when they were all reunited.

"Why did this happen?" Kurama asked mournfully, but he received no answer.

Yusuke slept on, and inside his head, inside his dreams he stayed. In his dream he was nowhere special, he had laid leaned up against some tree, his injury given by Kuwabara still bleeding. The wind tousled his hair, and he looked off at the blue sky remembering better times.

_"He hurt you..."_

Yusuke turned, and sat up staring at a transparent Kuwabara. His friend before him, was in white clothes now, and had scratches all over him. He walked over to Yusuke and dropped to his side, and looked at the injury, _"He hurt you bad."_ Kuwabara sat down on the ground next to his best friend, looking just as miserable. Yusuke leaned against the tree, and Kuwabara did as well, their shoulders barely brushing just for the sake of contact.

They sat in familiar silence.

"Kuwabara...you really did die?"

_"I lost my soul."_

"I'll get you...I'll set you free."

_"That's not me...kill it...KILL IT! It's not me."_

Yusuke turned to look at Kuwabara and saw the misery in his eyes. He was fading away, and Yusuke reached out for him. "You bastard! Don't you go-DON'T GO!" Kuwabara smiled at him, and Yusuke jumped in shock. Kuwabara was crying. He smiled at Yusuke as the tears raced down his face and took Yusuke's hand, _"I'm begging you! Begging, Urameshi! Kill it! It's my body, but not my soul! Please Yusuke..."_ Yusuke stared at him, and saw the ghostly tears running down his face. His friend was quickly fading, and Kuwabara realizing this gasped, _"That thing that hurt you it isn't me, it's-"_

Kuwabara was gone, and Yusuke woke up…to find that like his dream Kuwabara was still…gone.

**End of this chapter**

Kuwabara is struggling to get out, but things are definitely not going as planned. Sage and Batto toy with the poor man, while the three remaining Rekai try to make a plan to stop what is happening.


	6. Episode Six:Screaming Silence

Enjoy the new and improved revised chapters.

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**EPIOSODE SIX: SCREAMING SILENCE**

Sage watched Kuwabara with a quizzical eye, and couldn't resist a smirk at restless soul's antics.

The human soul had been struggling inside that necklace for twenty minutes now. Sage knew that inside that jewel, it was as good as being dead. For a soul to be repressed, to not aloud to move freely or move on, that was agony in itself. Kuwabara would be so weighed down by the pain of his own weakness…Kuwabara would never be able to escape his own pain. That was why Sage wasn't worried about Kuwabara escaping the necklace-it was _too_ impossible. There was no way a soul could escape unless released from that prison, and there was no way that would ever happen.

Batto, was currently brushing his-or should I say-"Kuwabara's hair." A smile was plastered on his cruel face. He could feel the small soul in the necklace struggling in the large red jewel and there was nothing more delightful then the suffering of another in Batto's malicious opinion.

"Kazuma," Sage sighed, crossing his legs, "you can't escape from your imprisonment. Someone has to release you in order for you to get out. All you're doing is making it harder on yourself...you're such a fool. Every time you struggle, another heaping of pain is dropped on your weak, pathetic self. If you struggle enough you'll be so weighed down by pain your soul could deteriorate and completely disappear...we wouldn't want that…now would we?"

The soul looked at him through the red imprisonment, and Sage smiled imagining the look of misery on young Kuwabara's face. He was honestly disappointed that Kuwabara's soul had been shrunk down. Sage really wanted to see the look of suffering on his face.

"I'd rather disappear than know that I'm sittin' here doing nothing, while you guys do whatever the hell you want! Besides if I disappear…THEN THERE WON'T BE A DAMN THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT OPENING THOSE GATES!" Kuwabara banged his hand on the red glass, "IT'S NOT RIGHT WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Kuwabara sunk back, resting his tired head against the glass. "Me an' my buddies have been through so much now...so damn much. We finally get back together after a year of being apart, and we don't even get a full day to talk and not have to worry about some bad guy coming, and pissin' on our parade…" Kuwabara sunk weakly to the ground. This place, his prison, really did drain the life out of him. "You two can't even fuckin' hear me can you?" Kuwabara asked only seeing Batto and Sage smiling at him.

"Of course we can Kuwabara, but no one else will," Batto said fluffing his recently required orange locks. "Only we can hear your voice Kuwabara," Batto said as he continued preening.

Sage grinned and smiled at the tiny spirit, "And we will be the only ones that ever will…"

"You'll see…I'll make my voice reach my friends' ears! I will!" Kuwabara swore kicking the red glass in retaliation.

Sage looked at him. In all honest truth he was almost afraid of this young man. Most souls couldn't move inside such a despairing imprisonment, especially not after all Kuwabara was going through…but Sage had recently found out that the young human could not only move in there, but if one of his friends slept, and he was desperate enough, he could enter their minds. Sage wasn't sure if Kuwabara realized he was doing it, but he knew he had to put a stop to any hope Kuwabara had of getting out by himself.

"Batto, the necklace."

Batto looked up, and took off the fine piece of jewelry, and placed it in his father's palm. Sage peered inside the jewel, and smiled at the tiny soul inside. "Why don't I let you out for a spell Kazuma."

Sage took the necklace from Batto and placed the necklace down on the floor. He searched around in his robes, and pulled out a white piece of chalk, and began making a large circle, with very detailed designs. The whole process took him several minutes, and his son was now watching with curiosity. When Sage was done, he held his staff in front of him, and wind instantly began to pick up. He muttered words only he knew, and very slowly out of the jewel Kuwabara's soul arose. He was at his full height, and was wearing the clothes he wore the day he, had "killed," himself. He was transparent, and collapsed as soon as Sage ceased his muttering.

Batto, and Sage stared at him for a long time, watching and waiting. Kuwabara didn't make any sound, or make any effort to rise. "I've created a barrier, so if you have any thoughts of escaping..." Sage trailed off, it didn't seem necessary to tell him that escaping wouldn't work. Batto leaned down next to his Father's ear. "Is he...will he be strong enough to perform the task? He could disappear as soon as you release him." Sage frowned and whispered back, "This is very risky...but I'll loosen his restraints. The last thing I need is for the one I need to die! He is the only one who can do this…so if we let him go we'll have to wait for his reincarnation to complete our task!" Sage was honestly worried now about what Kuwabara had said earlier. They both went quiet when Sage pointed at Kuwabara's back.

"I had a feeling those were there...they look worse than I thought."

On Kuwabara's back, suddenly rising as a butterfly's would when he came out of his chrysalis, withered, twisted and broken wings appeared. They faded away every time Kuwabara exhaled, but when he took in a deep breath they would appear almost glowing with some mighty strength. However the feathers looked if they were dull, and old. His wings looked overused, and were so small, as if they hadn't grown all the way out. The feathers weren't white, and didn't fully resemble feathers…they were more like fine pieces of cloth shaped to be like feathers. And the color was a vibrant orange, red, and yellow…the wings were in fact Kuwabara's spirit swords reformed and transformed into his wings.

Batto's mouth hung open, and he placed his hand on his father's shoulder, "Those...they are wings! But he's not dead! Not really after all…" Batto gasped.

Sage nodded, and whispered, "I know. He did die in a way, and yet because we keep him here in this plane, he is alive, but still dead...and all this at the same time. I forced him back to life you see, by trapping his soul I made him live, but the fact is he did technically "die," and since he's so pure, his wings are still trying to fully appear. If his soul had gone up he would have served the Lord most likely," Sage's eyes gleamed, "But I have him now, and the gates will open."

"No...you don't have anybody…"

Kuwabara was rising, his voice coming out in sharp rasps. His white shirt clung tightly to his body, which seemed suddenly drenched with sweat. He swayed, and he made strange sounds, the dying, crooked wings on his back flapping with out warning. Batto, and Sage watched, eyes wide. The two had to jump back, when the shield began to spark. "You took my parents," Kuwabara whispered, "you took me away, you took my body, and you tricked me friends. Damn you...you have no right...YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" Kuwabara's curls fluttered around his ghostly brow, and the crosses in his eyes, shone brighter.

"Oh fuck..." Sage whispered biting the nail on his thumb.

Batto looked at him, and then at Kuwabara. "Father, the shield! Look at the shield!" The shield that was keeping Kuwabara imprisoned had started to crack. Lines of yellow electricity, was striking the floor, so Sage and Batto couldn't get close if they wanted. Kuwabara began to scream loudly, scream words that they just couldn't make out. A piece of the shield flaked away, and just when Sage thought they were going to have real trouble on their hands, Kuwabara went still, his eyes dimmed, and the soul crumpled to the ground glowing orange feathers molting off his body flying up and fading into dust.

Sage stared at the teen, and cleared his throat, "We won't let him out anymore...You hear that Kuwabara? We let you out so you could stretch your legs but you blew your chance!" Kuwabara said nothing; it looked as if he'd passed out from the rush of energy her exerted. Kuwabara may have been asleep, yet he still managed to make Sage…afraid.

Sage coughed, and placed the soul back inside the jewel. He placed the fine necklace in his hand, and stared at it for a long time. Batto nervously stood there, he hadn't been aware at how powerful Kuwabara's soul really was. Sage looked at his son, and warned, "Keep this necklace with you at all times. If the jewel shatters, the human will be able to escape, and that means our plans would be ruined!" Sage placed the necklace in Batto's hands, and whispered, "I'll be in my room. Rest up. In just a few days longer we'll be able to enter the gates, and all will go according to plan. The destruction of this world and every world is coming to an end!"

However Sage walked the empty halls uneasily something was not sitting well in his stomach. He could feel it, feel the winds changing, but what scared him was he did not know if this, "change," would be in his favor. He heard a soft sound, and looked behind him, and saw Kuwabara looking at him, broken wings behind him. Sage blinked, and the image was gone. Sweat dampened his face, and he muttered, "Foolish bastard. I don't scare so easily." Something cold brushed his neck, and he turned, nothing was there...Sage frowned, "This is ridiculous!"

He walked away, the silence following him.

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Yusuke had woken and was sitting with one of his knees bent up, arms draped over it. He was trying to think, trying very hard to think of a way to save his Best friend. He completely ignored the others, who were discussing what they should do, ignoring the fears they all shared about trying to stop Kuwabara. Hiei was all for just storming in there, killing Sage, and beating the crap out of Kuwabara until he snapped out of it. Kazuma, and Kari, of course did not like this approach staring at Hiei nervously wondering if he was really here to help save their son. They turned more to Kurama for ideas, his plans seeming much more friendlier and well thought out. He'd come up with several sensible ideas, but for the most part, had no idea how each one would end.

Kazuma looked over at Yusuke, and then at the bushes, where a river was. "I need a bath." All turned to look at him, at that random comment, and Kazuma gave the simple explanation, "My wife and I have not gotten to bathe more than once every two weeks, I think we should wash up." He held out his hand for his small frail wife, and she took it, rising with his help. Kazuma held her shoulders, and looked at Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke. He stared at Yusuke the longest. "Will you tell us more of our children when we get back? I want to know everything about them…and more of how you all met."

Hiei was the first to agree, Kurama nodded with a gentle smile, but Yusuke just stared at them. He swallowed the lump growing in his throat and he wondered if he could bear to reveal anything more about Kuwabara. He rose, "No one's had anything to eat. I'll go look for something. Get a fire started."

They watched him leave, and Kazuma sighed, "I wish I knew my son like he does...I lost my son, and he lost his friend...but it's painfully clear it's affecting him more." Kurama looked at the man with pity, "You have been away from each other seven years...you never even got the chance to know your children...but you do care about your son...if you didn't, you wouldn't look like you were about to break in half."

Kazuma smiled, a tired expression on his face, "No man...no woman...should outlive their child," Kazuma led his quiet wife away softly saying, "I am so old and tired now...I would like to get some rest." And with that he took his wife's hand and the two walked towards the river.

Kurama and Hiei sat in silence for a long while, before Kurama whispered, "He certainly looks like Kuwabara."

Hiei nodded, and turned away from Kurama, "I'll get the wood…we're low on it." Hiei went into the forest a little ways, Kurama watching after him. He turned his head to the left spotting a big pile of wood. "Oh Hiei…I wish you wouldn't hide your feelings," Kurama whispered closing his eyes letting his mind drift to thoughts of his friend.

Hiei walked a long ways away and pulled out the piece of the letter he had saved, the folded, crinkled piece that he probably knew by heart now. He turned to this paper for answers, and for the life of him he didn't know why…He crumpled it up. There was no comfort in those teasing words written from Kuwabara. He tossed it on the ground staring at the parchment against the green grass.

Hiei didn't know why seeing Kuwabara that way bothered him so much, it wasn't as if they were friends. Hiei mused over this problem, as well as those odd crosses in his former teammate's eyes. When it came to fighting, they could work together, but outside of fighting, they were eager to openly expressing their real feelings. And those feelings normally came out with biting words and glaring tempers. Hiei mostly started the fights, he knew that much, but who couldn't help but pick on the clumsy, seemingly out of place teen.

"How long do humans live?" Hiei suddenly questioned. He thought and answered himself, "Seventy...eighty years on average…a hundred if they're lucky?"

That ox of a human would live for at least one hundred years Hiei didn't doubt that. Hiei cut down the tree, and growled in pain. His injured side let itself be known. He looked at it in a curious manner. Kuwabara had done that to him. He wasn't normally that strong, that was a fact. Hiei wondered if maybe Kuwabara was holding his power back subconsciously. Even Hiei knew Kuwabara's power could be a very dangerous, and a destructive, if not controlled properly. After all…Kuwabara had a sword that could cut through dimensions, space, and time itself if used correctly.

And Kuwabara knew that.

And a true brute would use such powers to get greedy and most likely vile plans fulfilled if they had such a power. But Kuwabara was more gentle than he was a brute...what had Kurama teasingly said once…that Kuwabara was like a "sweet and kind of ugly kitten." And Kuwabara really was…a decent person and would not use his powers for wrong. So was it possible Kuwabara had been holding back his powers all along? Was this brain washed Kuwabara, releasing everything Kuwabara was holding back, or could it be something else?

A cold wind caused him to turn, and Hiei froze, dropping his sword. Just like in Hiei's dream with only a few differences, Kuwabara stood staring at Hiei with unblinking eyes. There were no tears of blood, no short gown, and no barbed wire. But Kuwabara did have twisted, and broken wings. He did stand there half way transparent. And He did stand there with crosses in his eyes.

And he did stand there, gazing at Hiei.

"Kuwabara?" Hiei whispered, eyes narrowed, "Is that you?"

Kuwabara didn't answer. He lightly shifted his chin to the left the sun shining through the transparent man. Hiei didn't blink; he just stared eye to eye with this specter wondering how long it would last. Kuwabara seemed to be doing the same thing, and Hiei mildly thought that this was like a contest.

And then Hiei was finally forced to blink, and Kuwabara was gone.

Hiei turned, and went back to chopping wood.

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Kurama sat in silence. Things were so quiet. Kurama had noticed the silence when Kuwabara had been kidnapped before. He noticed the silence when he, Yusuke, and Hiei were away fighting in the Makai Tournament. He noticed the silence when Kuwabara lay on the floor of the Dark Tournament after getting fingers thrust through his chest. He noticed the silence that filled the atmosphere as Kuwabara fell towards the lava during that first mission years back. Kurama always noticed the silence whenever Kuwabara was out of commission

It was a terribly loud, obnoxious, silence.

There were several times, Kurama had wished for Kuwabara to shut up, but he would never say it. It was cruel, and Kurama liked Kuwabara, he didn't want to ruin anything between them. But Kurama was an intelligent being who had lived years and years, and sometimes Kuwabara's ignorance towards the world, and endless questions grated on Kurama's nerves.

However, in all honesty when Kuwabara wasn't around hanging out with them, Kurama missed his boyish laughter and loud words Kuwabara spewed every second. He could remember once he was helping Kuwabara cram for a test, Hiei at their side. Hiei claimed to be there to watch Kuwabara struggle, but Hiei did help Kuwabara and even corrected his mistakes…in almost what you could call a kind matter. Suddenly, out of the blue Kuwabara got up, and left. For a full minute he was gone with Kurama sitting there confused, the door opened and in came his mother, thanking Kuwabara for helping her with the groceries. "How did you know I was out there?" Kurama and Hiei shared a secret smile, and Kuwabara said casually, "Lucky guess."

Kurama frowned with a heavy sigh it was so quiet…

Wind tousled his hair, and Kurama turned towards the direction it came from.

He froze.

"Kuwabara?"

The young man looked at him, wings twisted, and eyes half lidded. "Kuwabara is that you?" Kurama cried, rising. Kuwabara said nothing but walked towards him. He was so close...so close Kurama could touch him, then he just disappeared with out warning. Kurama stood there, and only turned when Hiei came back with the firewood.

"Kurama?" Hiei's voice held a question that Kurama didn't know how to answer. Kurama reached out to touch the air in front of him where Kuwabara had just been, closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. He turned towards Hiei, the two staring at each other and Kurama wondered silently if Hiei could remember that day in Kurama's home smiling secretly as they both thought that Kuwabara was just that kind of guy to use his psychic abilities to help out an older woman with her groceries.

"Welcome back Hiei…you've got plenty of wood…" Kurama said dully dropping his hand.

Kurama started the fire.

Yusuke showed up with a giant hog, and they began to cook it.

Kazuma, and Kari showed up, damp, and looking refreshed, even if their faces were miserable.

They all sat down.

They all ate.

And they all kept a spot empty for the human that wasn't there.

**End of this chapter**

Well...you all might kill me for this, but "Kuwabara," is going to kill someone in the next chapter.


	7. Episode Seven:Death Of A Rekai

Alright! Let's continue! New and revised chapter!

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**EPISODE SEVEN: DEATH OF A REKAI**

Sage woke early the next day and came out to where his son was currently working. "Kuwabara," Was currently working on some papers, translating ancient texts and things of that sort. All of this was a bore to Sage, and he was glad to have his son back so he could do this meaningless task for him.

Sage smiled at his son, he really made him proud.

As he was looking at his son in his new body, (the one he had commandeered from the pure hearted human) he noticed something amiss. A piece of his flesh on "Kuwabara's" arm seemed like it had eroded away. Sage's eye narrowed when he suddenly realized something. Huffing angrily and marching towards his son he yelled, "BATTO! Have you been eating?" Batto looked at him, and he dumbly shook his head no. "Stupid boy!" Sage yelled, "Kazuma's body is decomposing, you have to eat to make sure his body gets its nutrients! Remember, you are a walking corpse!" Batto nodded, and ran a hand through his orange curls, "Sorry Dad…I hate this body father."

Sage sighed, "I know, I know my dear boy. Eat something...and then do me a favor...go look for our missing guests," Sage smiled, "When you find them, make sure to "take extra special care," of them." Kuwabara's face twisted upwards, and he nodded marching off to feed the pathetic body he dwelled in.

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Yusuke lay on one of the strange beasts, staring through the leaves of the large trees, and up at the sky. Yusuke was relaxed, and very comfortable, his face was calm and serene, but inside everything was in turmoil. Yusuke felt he had a lot to think about. He'd rescued Kuwabara's parents, and with them being so weak, it wasn't a good idea to leave them with him was it. He wondered if he should send someone to take them home, but that was an argument waiting to happen. He thought he could send them by themselves, but they had no idea how to get home, and Yusuke didn't think it'd be a good idea to go anywhere by themselves.

Besides they were Kuwabara's parents.

Kuwabara got his stubborn attitude, brashness, extreme loyalty, and honor code from somewhere…and just spending this short time with the adults Yusuke knew exactly where. Yusuke did not like the fact that the two would probably come right back refusing to leave without their son, or at least their son's body. Even harder, was the question of what to do with Kuwabara? He was brainwashed right, but maybe they could bring him back.

And maybe, Yusuke thought, he could save Kuwabara.

"But how do you bring someone back...when he's just like a ghost to you...?" Yusuke asked himself quietly.

"If you could bring them back, then they weren't ever really a ghost now where they?"

Yusuke sat up to look at Kari who was sitting near the beast's face stroking him with fascination. She was watching her hand run down the beast's string like fur, back and forth, back and forth...she just watched her hand go. Yusuke noticed all this, and he remembered Kuwabara and how he would sit for hours petting his cat in the same manner. A goofy grin plastered on his face and an almost glazed look in his eyes. Yusuke had to admit that he liked watching Kuwabara in these moments. It was rare when any of them where peaceful, and it was nice to see at least one of his friends looking so relaxed. For Hiei it was polishing his sword, for Kurama it was being with his mother, for Kuwabara it was petting his cat and for Yusuke…

Well for him it was being with Kuwabara, that was how he got his peace.

Yusuke paused, but then asked, "Do you like cats?" Kari looked at him, and shook her head, "No...But my husband does. I love the feel of soft things though!" Kari laughed before continuing, "Oh Kazuma is just crazy about them, he used to drive little Kazu nuts by making him look in the store with all the kittens. Kazu never did like cats he thought they were something too lame for little boys. He always liked the snakes, and spiders…ugh…snakes…" Kari visibly shivered, and Yusuke had to suppress a smile.

Yusuke looked at the older woman's profile. She was rather attractive, even if she was older. Yusuke smiled, "I find that hard to believe, he has a cat now. Eckiji." Kari turned to him, a smile on her face, "Really? That's wonderful. Better then those God awful…snakes!" Yusuke looked at her, and jumped off the furry beast, "You know," he said, "you really look like Shizuru." Kari smiled, "Oh...is she still a little tomboy?" Yusuke sat by her, and began to pet the beast as well, "Yeah I guess that's what you have to call her."

Kari smiled, tears in her eyes, "I was so happy I could have died when Sage brought forth our son. I didn't care he'd been dragged here, and God forgive me, I was hoping Shizuru was too. Seven years...that's too long not to see your babies." Kari's hand began to shake and she brought her hands to her face, "No one should outlive their child, no one!" Yusuke put his arm around her, and the woman clung to him sobbing. Yusuke swallowed, and said softly, "He's not gone...you know? He's still there, just taken over."

Kari wiped her eyes, "I know...but something doesn't seem right...like I can't believe that story. Yusuke I saw with my own eyes-MY OWN EYES-that he killed himself. I saw it…you can't fake a death like that…you can't turn that white, and choke out a death rattle like that, you just can't!" Kari took in a shuttering breath miserably.

Yusuke didn't know what say so he hugged her, "I'm sorry Mrs. Kuwabara…"

Kari looked at him, "It must be hard for you. You're a demon so you must have always known you were going to outlive him, but to hear that he died here...oh God that must have been terrible. But…if the story that he told is true…" Kari took in a breath, "At least there's a chance to get him back, right?"

Yusuke nodded, and Kari rose. "I'm going to rouse that husband of mine. He sleeps like the dead..." She trailed off, closed her mouth and left through the bushes. Yusuke sat alone, and walked over to the beast, and climbed up on it, laying back down again, and stared once again at the sky through the leaves.

His eyes narrowed with pain, "Actually...I never thought of outliving Kuwabara…"

Yusuke closed his eyes, and envisioned Kuwabara in his nineties. He could see him standing tall still, with a slight hunch, but not much of one. Only noticeable when he sat down. His hair was shorter, and thinner, his eyes gray and dim. He had an old smile, that made his wrinkles stand out more, but made him look younger at the same time. He had children, and grandchildren, and like Genkai believed in passing down his power to another, who happened to be a rekai, and just as stubborn as Yusuke. Yusuke could hear Kuwabara saying in a new older voice, "I'm old now Urameshi...it's time...take me to our place...one last time." And Yusuke would be there, still looking young as ever, with sad brown eyes.

Their place was under a tree, where after a battle the two would lounge around. Yusuke could see it now. It would be fall, and the orange and red leaves would be falling. Kuwabara would take one in his old withered hands, and spin it slowly. Kuwabara would chuckle and point out all the spots, and wrinkles on his hands. Yusuke would roll his eyes, and self-consciously glance at his seeing the smooth skin there. Kuwabara would smile, and his half way blind eyes would turn to Yusuke, "We had some good times...didn't we Urameshi?"

Yusuke's eyes snapped open as he forced those thoughts away, "No...Dammit...why? Either way...here or later...I'm gonna lose him. And...and Keiko...and the others…" Yusuke sat up, and screamed loudly, "DAMMIT!" He held his stomach, a tight pain filling it up.

"Why are you screaming?" Yusuke froze as he recognized that voice. A dread swept through him and Yusuke felt himself sit slowly up and turn robotically to see who had spoken even though he knew that voice without a doubt. And when he managed to turn to land on who he knew was there, but had hoped hadn't been, Yusuke felt the pain in his stomach spread and swallow him completely up.

Kuwabara was there behind a tree.

His face rest against the thick tree trunk, and his hands hugged the sides of the tree. The crosses in his eyes, were staring dead on at Yusuke, unmoving and unblinking. He looked like a painting just standing so still and observing Yusuke.

Yusuke jumped off the beast, and got in a defensive stance, but Kuwabara did not move. Kuwabara remained frozen for a long time. There was a soft sound and finally Kuwabara made the first movement. His pale fingers touched the necklace hanging around his neck, and then Kuwabara looked at his hands dropping his eyes away from Yusuke. Kuwabara looked sad and in a meek voice whispered, "Look at me Yusuke. I already look dead." Yusuke glared at him ignoring the shooting heartache he felt in his chest, "Kuwabara...Dammit...you...you're pathetic! You-You can't even snap out of being brainwashed!"

Kuwabara stepped in front of the tree, and pouted, "Well that's mean...and after I came all this way to see you."

Before he could take another step, Hiei, and Kurama had appeared at Yusuke's side. Kurama held his rose whip in a tighter grasp, and Hiei's sword was out, ready if needed. Kuwabara looked at them, and smiled, "I was told to kill you."

Hiei glared at him, "Where you now?"

Kuwabara nodded, and smiled, "But it doesn't seem like I can..." The three tensed, and Kuwabara called his sword. "At least no without some proper flourish!" The four stood there, looking at each other, different looks in their eyes.

One look filled with evil.

One look filled with anger.

One look filled with pity.

One look filled with sorrow.

All different looks on different faces, that knew each other too well. If any of them had bothered to look into the red jewel around, "Kuwabara's" neck they would have all seen the huddled soul of the real Kazuma Kuwabara hiding his face in shame and defeat.

There was a snap from some twig, and Kuwabara suddenly turned around, laughed and took off calling over his shoulder, "COME! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" Kurama and Hiei followed, but Yusuke hesitated. Kari and Kazuma burst through the brush, "Was that my son's voice I heard?" Kari asked, grabbing Yusuke's arm. Yusuke didn't look at her, but whispered, "Stay here," and gave chase.

Batto ran through the forest, and couldn't help but think of the soul trapped in the necklace. He wondered if he was still incapacitated. If he wasn't, he hoped he was enjoying the show Batto was putting on. Batto looked behind him, seeing the surprise on Kurama, and Hiei's faces. They weren't able to catch up to him. 'Of course not-before I died I was an S class demon...and my powers are back now' Batto thought smugly. He only stopped running when he came to a cliff. He looked over the edge with a smile it had to be a twenty, maybe thirty foot drop into rushing water, filled with wild rapids.

"KUWABARA!"

Batto turned seeing whose voice it was.

Hiei had reached him first.

Batto looked at him, and decided to try out his acting skills again. "Hiei..." The short demon sucked in a breath and watched Kuwabara seem to grow weak and frail before him. He was swaying, and he spread his arms open eagle style, "Hiei...I must die." Batto was swaying and inching backwards towards the edge of the cliff.

"No! You don't…have to die. Yusuke can fix you…we can fix you" Hiei argued taking a step forward freezing as tears ran down, "Kuwabara's" face.

"Hiei…I'm a monster…I can't stand this anymore! I have to do it!" Batto moaned, suppressing his glee. And with that he moved forward to throw himself off the cliff. Hiei dropped his weapon, and ran to him, grabbing him just as Kurama and Yusuke showed up.

"Kuwabara!"

Batto smiled, and grabbed Hiei's sleeve at the shoulder. He called out Kuwabara's sword, and just as Kuwabara' parents joined (the two had followed, they were too stubborn to be left behind) Kurama and Yusuke he thrust the sword all the way through Hiei's gut, the orange sword glowing vibrantly as blood dripped off the weapon.

All wore shocked faces, and screams filled the air; Hiei looked down at his waist in disbelief. Kuwabara had lifted him off the ground, so that they were almost eye level, and his feet dangled towards the ground. He saw his blood fall to the ground, and spread on Kuwabara's pale hands. He looked into the eyes of his killer shock written clearly on his face. Hiei felt the pain and burning feeling of Kuwabara's weapon, a weapon Hiei had never thought he had to fear…and right then Hiei knew he would die.

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At Genkai's shrine, Yukina suddenly grabbed at her chest, and gems began to hit the floor. "Oh no..." She gasped before falling backwards, Genkai catching her. Boeton's hand was on her chest, and she looked over at Koenma, "Oh my God." Koenma grabbed her, "Boeton! What is it! Boeton tell me!"

"It's Hiei," Shizuru whispered.

Shizuru was standing at the doorway entrance, smoking, wearing only a long t-shirt. It was actually her brother's, she had brought all his things, and pulled them close to her. She had this dead look in her eyes, as she exhaled cigarette smoke. "Wow...this week is going to suck."

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Hiei made a grunting sound as Kuwabara twisted his sword within him. His eyes fell from Kuwabara's face unable to stand the sneer he saw there, and let his eyes drag down Kuwabara's throat all the way to the necklace.

Hiei gasped.

He could see something in there, a tiny soul.

"Kuwa...ba..." He whispered, staring at the motionless figure curled up within its red prison. And in an instant, Hiei knew the truth. Batto leaned down and whispered in Hiei's ear. "So now you've seen my little accessory...that soul is Kuwabara…and you all have been my playthings for the past few days…my real name, just to let you know before you go wallow in the pits of Hell, is Batto...and in case you're wondering, Kuwabara did kill himself. All that's left of him is his memory, and this tattered soul that rests inside my necklace. Too bad for you and your friends, you're here to save him and all you're doing is prolonging his suffering," Batto yanked out the sword, "Too bad you'll never be able to tell your friends any of this."

Hiei's red eyes flashed in defiance and he raised his hand gripping the necklace Kuwabara was within, squeezing the jewel tight. "Kuwabara do you hear m…me?" Hiei wheezed his voice barely audible to his own ears, "Yusuke…will save you…don't die…don't…."

Batto through back his head and laughed ramming his kneed in Hiei's bleeding gut, "Don't make empty promises. Saving Kuwabara is a lost cause especially for a dead piece of shit like you," Batto whispering smirking as Hiei's eyes slowly turned black, and Hiei's tensed body went limp. Hiei's hand dropped from the necklace and Batto lift the small man above his head and in one movement threw Hiei's body off the edge of the cliff.

"NOOO!" Kurama screamed, but Yusuke wrapped his arms firmly around Kurama so the man would not run out and get himself skewered.

"Kuwabara…" Yusuke croaked, the smiling orange haired man turning to him.

Kuwabara had blood smeared all over his face and Batto eagerly lapped it up. He smiled at the sight her saw before him. Yusuke was glowing blue, and his face was scrunched up in anger, energy wrapping around his body. "Man Kuwabara...you must be dying in there...I wash my hands of you...I get it. I get it now…that dream I had. It was real. You really don't want to be here…be in there." Yusuke closed his eyes. He could see his best friend so clearly in his mind. So clearly…he was almost sure that he could reach out and touch him. Yusuke opened his eyes, releasing his treasure memories of his best friend, "But here's no bringing you back now is there buddy? If there was…you wouldn't have done that." Yusuke closed his eyes, the last of his tears dripping to the ground, "That dirty bastard Sage...look what he's done to ya man. I'll make him pay for everything. For you, for Hiei…and for what I'm about to have to do."

Yusuke took in a deep breath his tears stopping, and silently Yusuke knew mourning Kuwabara was over. All over…he had denied the facts so long it cost Yusuke another friend. Yusuke hardened his brown eyes-no more. No more of this weak, sissy, pussy shit…Kuwabara was in pain…and being used…and now Kuwabara had killed Hiei. It was Yusuke's job to protect his friends and he had been failing horribly up until now...but no more. Yusuke released Kurama and sighed taking a step forward, "I'm sorry Kuwabara, but this is it. I gotta…stop you now. I'm sorry…but…" Yusuke raised a glowing finger and aimed for Kuwabara's head, "If I let you live after what you did to Hiei, you would kick my ass."

**End of this chapter**

That's right bitches…I killed Hiei!


	8. Episode Eight: Batto's Mistake

The newly revised chapter eight!

on with the show!

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**EPISODE EIGHT: BATTO'S MISTAKE**

Keiko stood on the porch, her face turned away from the trauma in the living room.

Yukina, Hiei's sister, was weeping rather loudly in the living room. Her cries were shrill, and hurt Keiko's ears. Keiko just couldn't block out the high-pitched cried, no matter how hard she pressed her numb hands to her ears. It was Boeton's heavy sobs and regretful words that made Keiko's heart want to drop into the pit of her stomach however. Boeton had her head pressed firmly on her bent legs, and she was quietly asking, "How many of them have to die?" No one answered, though she asked the question many times.

Keiko stood alone, and thought of Yusuke. Thought of that very short time of happiness that she had with him. She closed her eyes and whispered hatefully, "Until Kuwabara screwed it up!"

Realizing what she'd just said, she collapsed, and sobbed. "Oh my God! Kazuma...forgive me...forgive me!"

Without telling the others she took off running, as the sky decided to turn bleak and the rain began to fall. The heavy rain made her clothes stick to her body, and she realized she didn't know where she was going. She found herself in a crowd of people with umbrellas, walking along the sidewalk. She kneeled down and began to sob an apology to her love's best friend. In her mind's eye she saw him, and Yusuke...

_Flashback…_

_Keiko peered into the room that Hiei, Kurama, Genkai, Yusuke, and Kuwabara had all once shared during the duration of this damned tournament. She wanted desperately to talk to Yusuke about Genkai's untimely death-her murder. She walked by Kurama, and Hiei, who talked softly with Koenma, and Boeton, she didn't want them to stop her as they had been doing all day._

"_Yusuke's with Kuwabara, don't disturb them just yet, wait until they both come out here," everyone had advised Keiko. She didn't want to admit it, nor would she ever say it out loud but it made her sick with jealousy to think Yusuke was alone with Kuwabara. It wasn't that she hated him, or thought he wasn't a decent guy it's just that…before Kuwabara came alone it had been her that made Yusuke feel better when something was wrong, and now it seemed like Kuwabara was trying to take her place._

_Something inside her just couldn't bare that..._

_When she reached the room, she opened the door, and was about to call out to Yusuke when she saw Yusuke and Kuwabara._

_Seeing the two together wouldn't have stopped her from barging in and trying to take over so she could talk to Yusuke and try to comfort him as it had been her job over the years, but this time…for the first time she really _**saw**_ Yusuke and Kuwabara._

_As Keiko had gathered from watching the two, they way they comforted one another was by picking fights, and teasing. If it were something that the two boys warranted, "serious enough," the two would be quietly chitchatting and passing back and forth a bit of advice. There would be no contact between the two when they comforted one another, not a hug or the taking of a hand, or a gentle caress that Keiko used to help Yusuke feel better. But Keiko supposed that was how boys were, they dealt with pain differently then how she would deal with it, and over time of getting used to Kuwabara's presence she'd gotten used to seeing how the two consoled each other through tough times._

_But she had walked in on something that felt completely different. _

_The two weren't talking, or smiling, or anything it was absolutely still in the room not one of them moved. She wasn't used to this silence, she'd never seen either of the two so quiet-especially around each other. Keiko shrunk back hiding behind the door, choosing not to make her presence known. _

_Very quietly she gazed at the scene before her. _

_Yusuke was kneeling before Kuwabara whom sat still as a statue on one of the beds watching Yusuke as he worked on changing the bandages on Kuwabara's chest. Yusuke had found some scissors and cut through the rust stained gauze and peeled back the layers staring fixated at the task at hand. Keiko felt her own eyes staring in a trance as Yusuke snipped away the layers of white that slowly got redder with each layer. And then the bandages were in a pile on a floor and Yusuke was taking a rag and soaking it with warm water. He rang it out before turning to look back Kuwabara's chest, and both men took in a deep breath as Yusuke reached out to clean the sore gaping holes on Kuwabara's chest with tender care. _

_It was as if it was the first time Keiko truly saw Kuwabara. She had done what most young females her age would do. Taken in his loud voice, big frame, and rugged face, written him off as some miscreant, as something that couldn't be broken, and had just accepted that this guy was some sort of machine. Not capable of being hurt, or having softer emotions, or being anything other the loud and obnoxious. Keiko felt her guilt lean heavily against her as she vowed to not ever judge someone again…and in that odd transfixed silence she continued in watching the two, doing her best not to cringe away from the blood and infection she saw on Kuwabara's chest._

_Kuwabara just quietly stayed still through the whole process, letting Yusuke clean and dress the wounds. Kuwabara would grip the sheets below him, and that was his sign that there was any pain. Yusuke's brown eyes would catch the simple movement, and he'd stop letting Kuwabara regain composure and relax. And then as carefully as before, he'd start doctoring his friend up again, dipping the rag once more in the warm water and working on removing the traces of old blood, which would be replaced with new blood. _

_It made Keiko sick to see red watery tears wash down Yusuke's hands and drip down his arms. _

_It was all so surreal._

_Keiko had been in shock when Toguro had stabbed Kuwabara, and hadn't really reacted to Kuwabara being so ruthlessly attacked by Toguro, but seeing those four holes standing so vibrantly out on his chest brought it all back. Brought back all Kuwabara had endured while she cried and asked to go home. She found her cheeks wet when the memories completed, and suddenly she knew how agonizing those tears were when Yusuke cried. _

_She held her hands close to her chest as Yusuke pointed at three of the five holes, "These are the deepest the other two are just gashes."_

_Kuwabara nodded, and smiled, "Yeah, I'll...I'll get it checked out as soon as we're home. I have a real good doctor."_

_Yusuke unrolled some more white bandages, and then looked up at Kuwabara, "Why man, why? You didn't have to do that...charge forward like that...what if...what if Toguro had intended to kill you! You would have died! That...that would have destroyed me..." Yusuke raised the bandages to Kuwabara's chest but didn't apply them, just stared squarely at the big man's chest and tried to endure waiting for an answer from Kuwabara._

_Kuwabara looked at Yusuke as if confused, as if the answer should be so obvious, and with a shrug of his shoulders simply said, "It was either me or you...he would have killed you Yusuke, and if you died who would take care of poor Keiko? She needs you man."_

_At those words, Keiko shoved her clenched hands to her mouth, and closed her eyes. Kuwabara had been thinking about her...he had thought how alone she would have been, but then again that was how Kuwabara seemed to be. He wasn't bright, not the strongest fighter, and not very attractive either, but he seemed to have this naiveté, an innocence about him. It was like he was certain people were good, even if no one else could see it. He thought of others, without realizing it. It was such a natural thing to him. _

…_As natural to him as breathing._

_Keiko looked at Yusuke who was staring up at Kuwabara eyes shining and he pressed his forehead to Kuwabara's knee, holding the bandages tightly in his hands. Yusuke's face was contorted with pain and he growled, "You're so…so stupid man…" Yusuke's arms were wrapped around Kuwabara's leg then and he dropped the bandages on the floor. Yusuke was shaking badly and gripping Kuwabara like that man was going to disappear if he let go. Kuwabara blinked lightly and stared down at his friend a thoughtful look on his mug. He bent towards Yusuke, and rubbed the smaller man's back with his large hands, not saying a word as Yusuke continued to mutter, "I don't need an asshole like you to take care of me. I'm not weak. I'm fucking Yusuke Urameshi! I'm a bad ass…and I'm…I'm strong. Stronger then you! So don't you…don't you think that I need protectin' or that I appreciate you being here and all…because I'd be damn fine without you!" _

_Kuwabara smiled lightly a soft expression caressing his hard features, and with ease Kuwabara snapped back, "Ah, quit your bitchin' Urameshi.."_

_Keiko closed the door, and left with the other girl's to mourn for Genkai, and pray for her soul feeling a little wiser and more mature after having watch Yusuke and Kuwabara interact._

_End of Flashback…_

Keiko continued sobbing on the street, kneeling down, weighed down with sorrow. No one in the crowded streets stopped to check on the girl who cried in the rain. Who had no shoes on, whose hair was tousled, and who had curled in a ball just sobbing. She was in a crowded city and no one noticed her. She didn't know what felt worse. Being alone outside Genkai's house, knowing Yusuke was far away and unable to come back to her, or being alone in this city mourning her friends, and no one even bothering to lift a finger to help her.

She couldn't decide which was lonelier, so she just remained curled up and sobbed in time with the rain.

**Back to Yusuke and the others…**

Yusuke stood facing Kuwabara a glowing digit still pointed at Kuwabara's head, and barely moved when Youko Kurama pushed past him to see if Hiei had clung to the edge. Youko, looked at Kuwabara, as if he was seeing the filthy demons he killed regularly, as if that was not the image of his friend.

"Kuwabara...you…YOU BASTARD!"

Yusuke reacted then dropping his hand and turning to Kurama, "Wait! Stop!"

Kurama ignored Yusuke and reached for Kuwabara claws and fangs, tools he normally did not use in a fight, at the ready. He was ready to kill Kuwabara, ready to do horrible things to the man he called friend…all the while having to endure Kuwabara just staring at him. Kurama's attack fell short, his sharp claws at Kuwabara's neck.

He was crying, and sweat was on his face, blood trickling down his lip he was biting. "No..." Youko Kurama whispered, as Kuwabara continued looking at him. "NO! DON'T YOU LOOK THAT WAY!" Youko Kurama grabbed Kuwabara, and began strangling him, and to Youko Kurama's surprise, he was flung off, and the tables were turned. With a quick jerk, Kuwabara snapped Youko Kurama's arm at the elbow, the demon howling in pain.

A loud noise shattered the air, and Kuwabara barely had time to doge the blast Yusuke had fired.

Yusuke approached Youko Kurama, and scooped him up, placing the demon in Kazuma, and Kari's care, the two numbly accepting the charge and just staring at what had once been their son. The couple looked at Yusuke, tears wetting their cheeks. Yusuke looked away in shame, and turned away from them. He was glowing still, and his hair was growing, and strange marks were appearing on his face. Yusuke was serious he was ready to kill his best friend.

Inside Kuwabara's empty shell, Batto was staring at Yusuke, mouth open, and eyes wide.

He couldn't believe Yusuke was letting his demon form out...was letting his real colors show. Batto had not expected this, not expected Yusuke to be so willing to kill his, "best friend," and Batto panicked to think that maybe he'd pushed too many buttons, and gone too far with this act. Batto had to think fast and smiled at Yusuke smugly saying, "Trade one friend for another...I'm not surprised. My father told me you didn't give a damn about me...it makes sense why you're so eager to rid yourself of me!"

Yusuke looked at him, and whispered hoarsely, "You have no idea what I'm feeling right now Kuwabara. You can't possibly know…KNOW WHAT THIS Is DOING TO ME!" As Yusuke spat the last sentence the ground cracked beneath him and the air filled with static so intense Kazuma and Kari had to sink to their knees from the strength of it.

Yusuke swallowed calming himself down so he could lower his voice again, "You...you are my best friend. Before this, before me becoming a spirit detective, BEFORE I DIED-YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND..." Yusuke paused, he'd lost control of his voice again, "and you always will be Kuwabara. I knew you were going to be my best friend when we first met. I don't know how I knew...I just knew. There was something about you…that I liked, and I couldn't stand it! I was a loner, but…beating the hell out of you day after day when we were rivals, always made me feel happy…because I knew in some twisted way we were friends. Kuwabara...as sick, and twisted as this sounds, and is, I'm going to kill you. You stole away my friend, and yours...and if you ever come out of this, if we succeed and bring you back to your old self, I know you'd look at me as if I had betrayed you by letting you live after what you just did."

Yusuke sighed, "All I've done since this beginning is cried…I'm weak that way…we all are. I can still remember how hard you cried when Sensui…" Yusuke gave out one short, bitted dejected laugh before whispering, "I'm done crying for you...dumb being a little pussy...I should have killed you the first time I saw you like this...I should have known this would happen...you are not our Kuwabara...not the same guy that I hung out with every chance I got. You're not the man I wanted to stand at my side in every battle, not the man I knew I could depend on. You are no longer the man I want my children to admire as their favorite uncle…You are no longer my Kuwabara." Yusuke raised his finger, energy charging up, "Bang."

A large blue blast was fired, and Kuwabara cried out dodging. He flung himself back, surprised and terrified. Batto cursed himself for killing Hiei. He shouldn't have done that. If he was going to do it, he should have killed them all at once. Killing the short demon had been a very foolish move and he knew it. He stared at the spot he'd just been at. The blast destroyed that part of the cliff, and suddenly he heard a small snapping sound. The necklace that held Kuwabara's soul had snapped off, and to his horror tumbled over the cliff. He screamed, startling everyone, and they all watched in amazement, as "Kuwabara," flung himself off the edge of the cliff after it.

Yusuke stood still, no emotion on his face, no pity or sorrow, nothing showed on his face, even when Kari screamed with agony. Yusuke looked at Youko Kurama, who sat with his knee bent, and good arm hugging it tightly.

Yusuke knew at once he was crying.

Yusuke dropped to Kurama's side, "Tomorrow...we will see if Hiei is truly dead...we'll look for his...his body...and then we'll go and kill Kuwabara." Youko Kurama snorted, hugging his leg tighter. "You? Kill Kuwabara! You won't do it! You care for him too much! I know you do!" Youko Kurama looked up at him with his golden eyes, and his face calmed at the expression on Yusuke's face.

"I...we've lost Hiei...and Kuwabara a long time ago...Kuwabara is still suffering...and it's time for me to end it. Let me kill him...I know you want your revenge for what Kuwabara…for what that guy just did to Hiei but…" Yusuke's voice was shaking, "but let me kill Kuwabara...he is my best friend...and if this has to happen than I have to do it."

Kurama hesitated, but nodded, and then glanced over at Kazuma and Kari, who were very stiff, and scared. "Come," Kari croaked, "We'll help set your arm..."

**OFF THE CLIFF**

The necklace spiraled down, Batto reaching for it. He knew he could not let it break, or Kuwabara's soul would escape, or disappear. If it disappeared that would be it, they'd have to wait who knows how long until Kuwabara was reincarnated to attempt this again. But then there was the off-handed chance that Kuwabara's soul was still just strong enough to force Batto out of his recently acquired body-and that could mean the end for Batto.

In the jewel Kuwabara still lay sleeping inside. He was too weak, and he felt as if he was dying...his soul being kept in captivity too long to acknowledge the events going on. He's just seen Hiei stabbed and killed, a guy Kuwabara had thought of invincible. None of this seemed real anymore. How could any of this be real?

Batto's hand firmly grasped the necklace, and he pulled the necklace to him clutching it tight. He looked down at the rushing waters below and by curling up in a ball protected himself best he could as he headed for the water. He fell right in, the deep water and when he came out he clutched the necklace. He was amazed that Kuwabara's fragile human body had not broken in the fall. Smirking he tied the necklace around his neck, and began to head for home.

What he did not notice however was there was a tiny crack on the red jewel, and that Kuwabara's soul seemed to be regaining its lost strength.

**End of this chapter.**

Episode nine is basically about what Kuwabara is dreaming about right now, and Kurama's arm getting set, with some "my best friend is gone," angst on the side. See ya in the next chapter.


	9. Episode Nine:Kuwabara's Confusion, Kuram...

okay

okay...RAVE ON! Lol. Enjoy the newly revised chapter nine!!

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**EPISODE NINE: KUWABARA'S CONFUSION, KURAMA'S SORROW**

As Kuwabara slept inside the jewel, the world around him had faded into black. Everything was dark, but something was changing in the darkness. His limp curls became gelled up again, and he was no longer wearing the strange clothes. He wore a white shirt, and jeans, and the blackness turned to cool grass, that he was now laying on. Cool, shaded grass, under a large tree. The sky was blue, not red glass walls. The ground was soft, not hard and cold. The warm wind brushed his face, and a leaf landed on his cheek startling him, and forcing him out of his dreamless sleep.

Kuwabara looked around, and sat up, eyes wide. "I'm...I'm home?" He looked eagerly around, "Or is this some sort of dream...?" The eagerness he had dropped back down into dread. Kuwabara gripped his shirt, and after a long moment of hesitation, he rose to his feet. He stayed behind the tree but even from behind the tree he knew exactly where he was, this was _his_ place. He turned looking at the tree with a soft expression on his face.

This was his tree…

He always sat under this grand tree for his studies. Kuwabara's soft smile faded as he jerked back and he remembered this was the tree Sage had told him to meet him at.

He visibly shivered, and looked around for any sign of danger. The wind picked up, and he gripped both his hands, he could feel something. Something was coming...was it Sage? Kuwabara sunk to his knees, and bent his head to his chest. Kuwabara was not one to be afraid, but this feeling was so powerful he knew he was truly afraid-no petrified. He stayed still, and let a shout fill the air when a hand touched his shoulder.

"What the Hell? Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara froze and dared to turn to stare at Yusuke Urameshi.

Kuwabara stared at Yusuke with his mouth slightly open in disbelief. How was Yusuke here…the last Kuwabara remembered of Yusuke was of him standing with a look of pure anguish in his eyes. But here in front of him was his best friend.

Yusuke had a worried, puzzled expression on his face as he met Kuwabara's startled and confused gaze. Yusuke wore his green jacket over a white shirt, with some old, almost threadbare jeans. Behind him, Kuwabara saw Kurama, and Hiei staring at him as well. Hiei had his normal bored expression on his face, while Kurama looked at him with a more concerned face. This was so familiar…but how could it be true? Kuwabara rose quickly and took a step back. Yusuke looked at him and laughed masking his worry, "What's wrong with you Kuwabara? I make you piss your pants?" Yusuke began to laugh flexing his muscles, while Kuwabara continued to stare at him, his face white.

'No...' Kuwabara thought frantically, 'This can't be them...Sage! Where is he...I know he's...he's still here! Somewhere-STILL AFTER ME!'

Yusuke stopped laughing when Kuwabara didn't say anything at him, the normal snappy comebacks Kuwabara usually threw were not thrown. Kuwabara wasn't saying anything; Kuwabara's head just kept swiveling around seeming to be searching for someone.

"Kuwabara...hey man you okay?" Yusuke asked seriously. Kurama looked at Kuwabara, his face filled with even more concern, and even Hiei lifted an eyebrow at Kuwabara's strange attitude. Kuwabara glanced at them but promptly ignored him making a move as if to turn around and walk away. But Yusuke put an end to that by reaching out and grabbing Kuwabara by the front of his shirt.

"Yo! Kuwabara…what is up man?" Yusuke asked brow raised.

Kuwabara pulled away from Yusuke and took a step back, his mind reeling. Thoughts of Sage, Batto, his parents, gates...the gates of Purgatory...He, and his mind, came to a stop when he smashed into the tree behind him. Kuwabara hadn't realized he'd still been walking backwards. "Kuwabara! Hey man...did something happen?" Yusuke asked, an extremely annoyed and slightly worried expression dancing across his face, a sense or urgency filled his voice that made it crack. Kuwabara panicked, knowing in his head this was not real, how could this be real? He knew what happened, he knew this was just some trick. Maybe from his own mind, or from a cruel illusion Sage decided to send him.

"Keep away from me," Kuwabara finally whispered startling the others.

"But Kuwabara-" Yusuke began, he never got to finish for Kuwabara pushed past him, and took off running not caring that he'd shoved his friend to the ground.

"KUWABARA WAIT!"

Kuwabara was running, running through the grass, and then leaping over a bend to get on the sidewalk. He began running down the sidewalk, until me made it into the streets, and when he got on the other side of the road he stopped finding Hiei there waiting for him and looking at him with an expression of annoyance. "What the Hell is wrong with you?" Hiei demanded sharply. Kuwabara stared at Hiei, and the shorter man growled, "What the hell is your problem?"

"How are you alive Hiei?" Kuwabara whispered eyes wide.

Hiei blinked startled and did not hide his confusion. "What? Kuwabara what the hell are you babbling about?"

Kuwabara just backed away from Hiei, and heard Kurama and Yusuke's voice calling out to him, on the other side of the street. He heard Hiei take a step forward, and Kuwabara took two steps back. "HUMAN! DON'T GO ANY FURTHER!" Hiei growled now steadily walking for him. Kuwabara took a step back, and found nothing there. He'd stumbled onto a stairway that led to the subway, and he fell down.

He was surprised at how falling felt...natural...good in a way. His back hit the stone steps, but he didn't care. He rolled, and rolled, but he didn't care. His body crashed into the walls, but he didn't care.

Kuwabara just didn't care.

It all felt strangely good...this pain. It felt...wonderfully real. Before finally completely collapsing on the floor, he was aware of smashing his brow on the last step, and red appearing in his vision. He heard Yusuke swear above him, and call him names, and as Yusuke continued yelling, his voice grew louder. Yusuke was headed for him.

Kuwabara's head was bleeding, and his body hurt, and he found that despite that there was no way this could be real, he wanted to stay. He wanted to see his friends, and be with them the way they used to be. Kuwabara was beginning to pass out, when Yusuke reached his side, and placed his hand on his back. He heard his name said, as well as other words, and he felt himself lifted and cradled in someone else's arms. Before he completely blacked out he heard himself whisper, "Please Sage don't kill them."

**MEANWHILE**

Kurama's arm had been set, and he had grown a plant that he could eat and that would speed up the process of fixing his arm. Yusuke had left to do only God knows where a long time ago. As soon as they reached the clearing he said he had to clear his head, and left. Kurama glanced back seeing Kazuma and Kari holding each other, weeping for their son. Kurama turned away from them. He felt sick with himself at the hate he felt towards Kuwabara. Even though he knew what had killed his best friend was not really Kuwabara, just a mere brainwashed shell. But he still felt so betrayed…so wronged.

How could Kuwabara do this to him?

"Why Hiei...why him? Why couldn't it have been me?" Kurama demanded in a harsh whisper. Tears sped past his pale cheeks. "It's not fair...Dammit!" Kurama had never been one to swear, or to cry, but there didn't seem to be a better word for what was going on, and the tears Kurama wanted to disappear just wouldn't stop pressing at the back of his eyes.

It was all so wrong.

First Kuwabara's presence disappears from this world, and then they show up here to find this, "brainwashed Kuwabara?" This had all been so…fake…and then Hiei died. Hiei, the small, angry, powerful, little demon died. How was this real? Hiei was too strong to die, to get hurt and not have some backup plan but he had indeed died…

Kurama went quiet, and grew some flowers, pale white flowers, that looked so like they were made of glass. He picked them up, and with his still aching arm he walked past Kazuma, and Kari.

"Kurama...I am so sorry..."

Kurama looked at Kazuma, who had just spoken.

"Maybe if I...maybe if we weren't taken...we could have still been with our son...everything could be different."

Kurama turned away from him, and whispered, "Kazuma...life is not built on, 'Maybes,' or 'What ifs,' what's done is done...there is no way to change the past...no matter how badly you want to. You can only go forward...and hope the ending to your life will be good one."

With that said, Kurama took his fragile flowers and left the miserable couple alone.

**BACK TO KUWABARA**

Kuwabara's eyes opened to a rag being put on his brow.

"Yukina-chan?" he whispered startling the small woman. She smiled at him, eyes shining with relief. "Oh Kazuma-kun!" She cried, "The others were so worried they will be pleased to know you are okay! We fixed your head, and back, but you got a fever...you worried me." Her face turned pink, "I mean us."

Kuwabara smiled and touched his head wincing, "It hurts..."

Yukina placed her small hands on his bandaged brow, a soft worried frown on her face. "The pain will go away with time, and your fever is already diminishing, let me got get Master Genkai." Yukina rose from her knees smoothing out the wrinkles in her kimono, before standing and scurrying off to exit the room and go seek out Genkai.

Kuwabara closed his eyes when she was gone. His head hurt and he was trying to put everything back together. Kuwabara wondered if Yusuke and the others were here…that questions was answered shortly. No sooner had Kuwabara thought that, he then heard a lot of commotion, caused by one Yusuke Urameshi. It seemed Yusuke was arguing with Genkai.

"What do you mean I can't see him, you old hag? He freaked out when he saw me I have to go-"

"Shut up! 'He freaked out when he saw me,' that's exactly why I need to talk to him first!"

"You didn't let me finish my damn sentence-Hey I'm talking to you!! Genkai!!"

Soon Genkai entered the room, and it was clear she'd won the argument, or at least in her mind. Genkai sat down next to Kuwabara's pallet, looking down at him and not saying a word. "They think I'm crazy don't they?" Kuwabara asked after several minutes of silence. Genkai didn't say a word and Kuwabara shifted sitting fully up placing the rag that had been on his head aside. "I dunno…maybe I am crazy."

Genkai made a small sound before speaking, "I think they are more concerned than anything else Kuwabara. You scared them. Before you passed out you said, 'Please Sage don't kill them,' Want to explain?" Kuwabara looked at her, and instead of answering tried to occupy his attention elsewhere. Seeing as he wasn't going to answer her so easily Genkai sighed.

"Did someone threaten you Kuwabara? Did someone tell you they were going to hurt them?" Genkai prodded. Kuwabara looked at her, not able to bring himself to tell her what was going on. He brought his knees up and pressed his face to them, he wondered if maybe this was the reality, and Sage, and the gates, were all fake...all a very elaborate nightmare. "Master Genkai...I'm in pain." His voice was muffled for he had dropped his face into his hands. "I'm in pain and I don't know how to explain or if I should…speakin' will make it real…ya know?"

Genkai rose, standing next to him and placing a hand on Kuwabara's back. "We can help you Kuwabara. Tell us what happened. Who is Sage?"

Kuwabara swallowed hard, and whispered, "He took my parents when I was ten and tried to get them to open the gates of Purgatory, they wouldn't and couldn't. So he now wants me to do it. He's a sick bastard who will wind up capturing me, place my soul in some jewel, and torture my friends before my eyes. Then when I think things can't get any worse he's gonna kill Hiei and then work on getting the others. There. That's it."

Genkai had gone very quiet, and rubbed his shoulder lightly. She looked at him and asked, "Kuwabara...is that all you wish to say? Are you not going to tell me the real reason your upset?" Kuwabara looked at her, laid back down, and then rolled over facing the wall. He rolled his eyes, 'great now people think I'm making this shit up…' Kuwabara thought grumpily.

"No," Kuwabara whispered, "I-I can't tell you what's wrong...I don't know what's wrong...I don't...but I have to say...no matter how miserable this situation, no matter how confused I am to seeing all of you like this...is wonderful, and terrifying at the same time. I was so afraid, I lost you all...but now your all back and Sage isn't here, it just doesn't make sense anymore."

"I don't understand Kuwabara." Genkai sighed, concern in her tired old voice.

"Neither do I." Was the only answer he could give.

**BACK TO KURAMA**

Kurama sat at the edge of the cliff where Kuwabara had flung his best friend's lifeless body over. He could see Hiei in his mind's eye. His face in pain, a look of shock and maybe even horror on it. His eyes dimming, and then-Kurama shook his head. He had woven the flowers into a crown, and whispered, "Good-bye Hiei...I'm going to get him for you...Not just Kuwabara, but Sage. He has taken both of my friends, and he's forcing Yusuke to torment himself...and...I-I'm afraid he'll..." Kurama swallowed. "Hiei...you were one of the many important things in my life...I don't know what to do now...all I can do is try to avenge you..." He released the ring of flowers, which floated down towards the waters.

The flowers landed in the waters and were swept away, dodging rocks, and going through rapids. It soon tumbled over a waterfall, and submerged only to pop up floating again. The waterfall led to a little pool of water, and the flowers floated gently towards land. It was stopped in its journey to shore by getting caught on a pale, limp, bandaged hand.

**End of this chapter**

ah poor confused Rekai. And poor dead Hiei...'least he got flowers. Next episode: Kuwabara is still dreaming, and is finding himself happier there...but he knows it fake-and he has a choice now, He can return to what is really going on or stay where he can be happy. Peace for now!


	10. Episode Ten:It's All Over

All right here you go the revised episode 10.

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**EPISODE TEN: IT'S ALL OVER**

When Kuwabara woke up he found Yukina at his side, sleeping near him, a damp rag in her hand. She has obviously been caring diligently for him as he slept. Kuwabara stared at her sleeping face gently feeling bad for making her worried…even if this couldn't be real. Kuwabara was jerked from his thoughts ah he heard and all too familiar voice whisper, "She hasn't left your side."

Kuwabara sat up and turned around to come face to face with his best friend, who looked as if he hadn't slept in days. Kuwabara made a small alarmed grunting sound and felt a cold sweat form on the back of his neck. Yusuke gave a frail smiled rubbing his eyes tiredly, brown eyes set on Kuwabara. There were heavy rings under his eyes, and his hair was messy from being pulled. Kuwabara swallowed hard wondering how long he'd been out. Yusuke chuckled at Kuwabara's blatant discomfort, "Well...I haven't left your side either...Been four days...we were getting awfully worried you fuckin' prick."

Kuwabara looked around the room trying to focus anywhere but Yusuke, 'Is this really real,' Kuwabara thought, 'Or am I just dreaming it all? That look on his face...he seems so real...was...' Kuwabara's thoughts stopped and he grabbed his head, "What's wrong with me! What's going on…I don't get it."

Yusuke grabbed his friend's wrist, and made Kuwabara look at him. "Almost a week ago I came back, remember? We sat on the beach and you complained that Hiei wasn't here. Well, that monk like demon attacked you and he did something to you. While you were out Kurama and I decided to drag Hiei back, in case we needed him. When we got back, we were told you were under that tree in the park..." Yusuke looked at Kuwabara trying to relay same sort of comfort, "Your were scared...When that small demon, or Sage grabbed you, he messed with your head, you've been having nightmares, but it's okay now, we fed you a cure not too long ago. Everything will be okay now!"

Kuwabara listened to Yusuke, and he wanted desperately to believe this nonsense that was coming from Yusuke's mouth. But it all seemed so far-fetched, too simple. "This is...this is all hard to understand," Kuwabara whispered, "I can't tell what's real anymore!" Yusuke scooted closer, throwing an arm over Kuwabara's shoulder, "This is real...I'm real…we're here, and you're okay...nothing can hurt you here...well only I can hurt you but that's because you're so damn weak!"

Kuwabara laughed at Yusuke's typical answer, but then he broke down in tears.

Both he and Yusuke were surprised, and Kuwabara grabbed his stomach. He hadn't meant to break down so pitifully, but everything just felt so awful, like some big fucking lie. "My stomach hurts," Kuwabara croaked. Before Yusuke could do anything, Kuwabara had thrown up all over his and Yusuke's lap. Yukina woke up, and cried, "Oh my goodness! Kazuma-kun!" Yusuke turned to her, "Help me get him in the bathroom!" Yukina nodded, and both of them half dragged, half carried Kuwabara to the bathroom. Yusuke put a fully clothed, and still decorated with badges Kuwabara in the tub. Yusuke ran the water, and ordered Yukina to go talk to the others.

Yusuke pulled Kuwabara's socks off, and his dirtied shirt, tossing them aside. He ran out for the rag Yukina had left on the floor, and used that to clean his best friend. Yusuke completely ignored the fact that he was covered in vomit, and that just annoyed and hurt Kuwabara more.

"Kuwabara...are you ok? C'mon buddy, speak to me. You…you gotta get better."

Kuwabara could not control what his body was doing, and the tears kept flowing. He turned to the side, and puked again, this time on Yusuke's feet. The teen cringed, and made a sound of disgust, but did not leave Kuwabara. "For God's sake Kuwabara if I find out you're aiming for me I'm going to kill you," Yusuke said grimly. Genkai came in, Koenma following her. Boeton, Keiko, Yukina, Kurama, and Hiei stood outside the door, watching anxiously. Genkai grabbed Kuwabara's face after he finished throwing up some more, and looked him in the eyes, "What is it? What is it Kuwabara?" the old woman asked. Koenma looked at Kuwabara, and whispered, "He's awfully pale..." Genkai touched Kuwabara's brow, and hissed between his teeth, "He's freezing! Yusuke, you've done your part, turn him over to me."

Yusuke gripped the rag, but let it drop in the tub. "Okay."

Koenma followed Yusuke out, and the door was shut leaving the old woman, and sickly teen alone. "Kuwabara, look at me, look at _me_ Kuwabara." The teen managed too, barely able to see her through the tears, "You're suffering through a post-dramatic stress attack. The nightmares you were receiving took a lot out of you, but you're in my hands, and the others. You're safe...you'll be okay." Kuwabara nodded, moaning, and making strange sounds as the pain worsened. He coughed and puked again, and Genkai sighed, "I'm not cleaning this up."

That night his puking had stopped, and Kuwabara suffered many random outbursts of crying for no apparent reason, his stomach would cramp up, and Kuwabara suffered from a high fever. Yukina was forced to go to bed, she was apparently unable to bare watching Kuwabara go through this any longer. Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke stayed in the room with Kuwabara mostly, only leaving every now and a then to go to the bathroom or eat...or just because it became unbearable to watch.

Kuwabara would turn, and move his legs fitfully, in his fevered delusion. He whispered the story of what he'd been through so far, and when he was done, his three best friends were more worried than ever. They couldn't fathom what type of nightmare Kuwabara had endured, nor could they understand why Kuwabara was so convinced that hadn't all been real. Kurama dabbed a cool wet rag against Kuwabara mouth, wiping the remaining puke away, and with a second rag he wiped Kuwabara's brow and cleaned his face. Hiei didn't watch Kuwabara much, but his eyes would snap to look at him when Kuwabara would let out a loud grunt of half-scream, and arch his back. Yusuke was closest to Kuwabara, and his brown eyes watched the withering man before him. He eventually moved over, and placed Kuwabara's head in his lap, wiping the wet curls from the sweaty man's brow.

"What the hell...I can't see...I don't understand all he's saying. Losing his soul...Gates of Purgatory...why the hell would that demon want to do this? And why the hell can't Kuwabara believe we're real?"

"Simple," Kurama whispered, "He is your best friend...any intelligent demon would try to kill, or torture him to get a rise out of you."

Hiei snorted, "You mean any foolish demon. I wouldn't touch Kuwabara or Keiko unless I knew for sure I could beat Yusuke, and even then I'd be far too hesitant to attempt it. I've seen what happens when the ones you love are threatened."

Kuwabara heard Sage's voice whispering somewhere in his ear. He was whispering an incantation that was trying to awaken Kuwabara, trying to pry his eyes open. Kuwabara let out a shallow scream, and turned on his stomach, nails scratching at the floor. Yusuke cradled Kuwabara's head, trying to send some sense of strength to his friend. Kuwabara moaned again eyes shooting open, his pale blue orbs rolled in the back of his head.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke cried, as Kuwabara buried his face in his lap. Yusuke tried to stop the man from scratching the floor, afraid he's hurt himself but Kuwabara struggled still. Kuwabara slapped the floor, panting, releasing out small hoarse cries. His eyes opened again, and Kuwabara cried, "N...NO...YOU WILL NOT HAVE-AGGH!" Kuwabara slammed his own head onto the ground turning away from Yusuke's lap, and let out another scream, as he continued to scratch at the floor, leaving tiny bloody trails on the ground from the damage he was doing to his nails.

Hiei's hands appeared from out of nowhere, he grabbed Kuwabara's wrists forcing his hands behind his back, and pressed his knee between Kuwabara's shoulder blades. "Snap out of it human!," Hiei ordered not expecting Kuwabara to struggle as he was doing. Kuwabara moaned, "I WON'T LET YOU HAVE...ME!" He sounded possessed. "Fight this you bastard!" Hiei snapped as the man continued to thrash under him, "FIGHT IT!" Kurama subdued Kuwabara's legs, and whispered, "Come on, hang in there, come on Kuwabara!" Yusuke grabbed Hiei and Kurama angrily throwing them off, "GET OFF HIM, NOW! You'll do more harm then good!" He cried, and then grabbed Kuwabara's shoulders and flipped the man on his back pinning him to the ground, "I'M HERE YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH! DON'T YOU GO AND LOSE IT! I'M HERE YOU STUPID APE!" Yusuke clasped both of Kuwabara's hands glaring fiercely down at the ailing man below him.

Kuwabara and Yusuke's hands shook as they squeezed them, and with in a minute Kuwabara's hand went limp, and he looked at his best friend, who didn't seem surprised that Kuwabara had beat his terrible tremors. Face flushed, and covered in sweat, Kuwabara whispered, "No...I'm not going back there...not going." Kuwabara's voice died away as he fainted, and Yusuke stroked the back of Kuwabara's head, "Yeah, yeah...you're staying here...staying with us."

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Sage cursed, and grabbed Batto, "I can't get his spirit to awaken! Dammit!" Sage shook the necklace in his son's face, "You see what you did!" Batto shrunk away from his father, and whispered, "I don't know what I did father, but..." Batto shuddered, "When I killed the short one, Yusuke went mad, and now he is going to kill me!"

Sage sighed, "No more going after them, we'll worry about then when they attack. Some how you've worn Kuwabara's soul out, just go and rest...it's almost time to open the gates. We need a few more days..." Sage growled angrily, placing a wrinkled hand to his brow. "Let us hope Kuwabara's soul will wake soon...if not this is all for naught, and you my son, will pay for it!" Batto shuddered, bowed, and left his father, hoping that Kuwabara's soul would heal and wake.

Even though both Sage and Batto had handled the necklace many times...they still had not noticed the crack on the red jewel.

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Kuwabara woke again, and found that all the pain was gone. He looked around, seeing Yusuke sleeping while he sat next to him, Kurama was laying on the floor curled up, almost in a cat like manner, and Hiei was in the corner, his face relaxed in slumber. Kuwabara sat up, and removed all the bandages feeling refreshed and better, grinning from ear to ear. He retreated to the bathroom quietly, and took a bath, redressed, and came back his friends still lost in their slumber. He sat there, and turned his head to the open window, listening to the birds.

This place felt and sounded too real to be any type of dream or illusion. He was truly home, and it had all been just one very long bad dream. He looked over at Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei. Kuwabara smirked, he didn't know what was compelling him to, but he decided to wake Hiei up first. Kuwabara plopped down on his own stomach looking down at the sleeping warrior, and waited for those demon senses of Hiei's to force the dark demon to wake. Sure enough, Hiei twitched in his sleep, as if he was annoyed, and low behold, he woke up and almost snatched Kuwabara's head off his shoulders. Kuwabara laughed a little and Hiei just stared at him, shock evident on his face. He sighed, "Damn. You're awake." Kuwabara laughed, and moved over to Kurama lying next to him to wake him up.

Hiei watched in what was almost amusement, and suggested, "Poke his nose." Kuwabara couldn't resist a large goofy grin, from what had to be the funniest statement that had ever left Hiei's mouth. He did so, and Kurama woke groggily, and when he saw Kuwabara, his face lit up. "Kuwabara...you're okay now?" Kuwabara nodded, rolled over, and went to Yusuke.

Kuwabara grinned, and poked Yusuke's brow pushing him over. Yusuke woke cursing, and holding his head, and glared up at the person who pushed him. His facial expression changed when he realized it was Kuwabara. He laughed and tackled his best friend, and managed to collide his skull with Kuwabara. Both boys groaned grabbing their brows before Yusuke burst, "WHY YOU SON OF BITCH! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP WITHOUT TELLING ME?!"

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke, "What?! What do you call what I just did asshole?!"

"You didn't wake me up first! Idiot!"

"Why does it matter? Ass!"

"It matters! Fuck face!"

"Why Goddammit!?"

"'Cuz I'm your best friend dip shit!"

The two finally laughed ending their petty argument, and Kuwabara looked around the room at his friends. Kuwabara sighed, and turned the tables on Yusuke, by putting him in a headlock and giving him a noogie, "I'm home!"

Yusuke shoved Kuwabara's arms off him, "Of course you're home. Where else would you be?" Kuwabara grinned, "Don't worry about it Urameshi," he said releasing his best friend. Hiei rubbed his head; still a little tired to deal with this happy good feeling mushy crap...He had stayed up almost all night listening to Kuwabara's groans and muttered whispers as he dreamed his endless nightmares. Not that Hiei would ever tell Kuwabara that. "So…what were your dreams about?" Hiei asked trying to sound casual and careless.

Kuwabara closed his eyes a moment, and then smiled wide, "Nah…don't worry about it guys. I'm home now, and I'm not sick anymore, that's the important thing, right?" Yusuke wrapped an arm around Kuwabara's shoulders squeezing one gently, "You were always home buddy…you just were delusional or some crazy shit like that…" Kuwabara smiled, feeling a happy warm feeling swell in him, "Yeah I guess I am."

**End of this chapter**

see Kuwabara is kinda happy... it's a fake reality, but happy. Next part, Kurama thinking of Hiei, and Kuwabara waking from his blissful dream to the real harsh reality.


	11. Episode Eleven: Waking From Bliss

New revised version!

**EPISODE ELEVEN: WAKING FROM BLISS**

It was nighttime now, and Kurama was staring at the moonless sky. He never felt so much hate for one of his old friends in his whole life. For enemies…for strangers…for old "acquaintances," yeah he could easily hate them with this much passion. Kurama was even at the state where he thought of his and Kuwabara's friendship as something in the past…and was it? Kurama felt so betrayed, and thought bitterly that deep down maybe Kuwabara really wanted to kill Hiei. Hiei was never nice to Kuwabara…they were always fighting, and could never get along, even for a moment. Kurama growled as he sat up, and bitterly whispered, "You wanted this the whole time didn't you human? You hated Hiei…you couldn't WAIT to kill him!" Kurama's voice grew louder and a soft sound moved his green eyes to two figures.

Kari was sleeping curled up next to her husband, wrapped in his arms. They clung to each other, and Kurama realized with a sick feeling Kari's cheeks were damp. Kurama looked at her face, and thought of his own human mother, and let a soft sigh. He rose, and wandered away from the group, and went to the clearing where Yusuke slept. Kurama knew why he slept away from them. From this spot you could get a clear view of Sage's large building that included glimpses of a possible sighting of Kuwabara. Kurama remembered what Yusuke had said to him, only an hour or so ago.

_Flashback…_

_Yusuke and Kurama sat in silence, and Yusuke whispered, "Kurama stay with Kazuma and Kari tomorrow. I'm going out to...to find and kill Kuwabara." _

_Kurama looked at him angrily, "Let me go! I can help! You won't be able to carry out this mission! You care for the human too much!" _

_Yusuke's face twisted in anger, and he looked at Kurama. "The human? Since when has that mattered to you? Since when have you called Kuwabara just as 'the human,' Kurama?" _

_Kurama glared at him, and Yusuke sighed and reached out touching Kurama's arm gently. "Hiei was my friend too, but so is Kuwabara. If I let you come...you wouldn't kill Kuwabara quickly, now would you? You'd torture him…he doesn't deserve it. Kuwabara was a good man, and if you care to remember he went with Sage to save us."_

_Kurama glared, and spat back, "He does deserve to be tortured! Brainwashed or not, he deserves it!" Kurama slammed his fist hard on the ground and then got closer to Yusuke to grab him so he could shout more. But Kurama calmed down at the look on Yusuke's face. Yusuke looked so lonely and pathetic, his eyes were dim and there was this distant look about him, as if he wasn't connected to anything around him. "Kurama would you let me kill Hiei if the roles were switched? Would you let me have a go at your best friend if he killed my best friend? Or would you hope that I would let you do it…so you could spare him the pain I would cause…" Yusuke asked his voice soft and wavering. _

_Kurama opened his mouth, but he couldn't find anything to say to him. He growled and snapped, "Well I want him dead! Do it right, or I'll do it!" As he stormed away, he heard Yusuke whisper, "What ever you say demon..."_

_End of flashback…_

Kurama looked down at the sleeping Yusuke, and realized he just sounded like any bloodthirsty demon right now, always ready for blood and killing. He sat down looking out at Sage's building where Kuwabara was. "Hiei," Kurama whispered into the air. "Am I wrong in this? Wanting to kill one of our friends to revenge you? What have I been saying about Kuwabara…he was…is…my friend? What would you do?" Tears sprung to Kurama's eyes as he realized how unsure of everything he was right now, "Oh my God...what...what am I thinking? I want to kill Kuwabara to revenge you, Hiei? Even you...you would never kill him the way I want to right now. I know…Kuwabara never wanted…would never have wanted to kill you…dammit. You saw Kuwabara's suffering…you would kill him to end his shame...but I..." Kurama grabbed a tree next to him, and sunk down to the ground, "But I just want to kill Kuwabara! What type of friend am I? Kuwabara...dammit...why did you have to do this...why? Why am I so confused…Hiei help me." Whatever else Kurama was saying went unheard his tears and soft sobs destroying his words.

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Kuwabara woke in his own bed, in his own room, in his own apartment.

That was nice…this feeling of being home.

He rose, popping his back, and rolling his shoulders. He wearily went to the kitchen to make some eggs, and eat some breakfast. Shizuru was there reading the paper, while at the same time trying to put on her coat.

"Going to work?" he asked startling her.

Shizuru smiled, "Yes, I'll see you around seven okay?" Kuwabara nodded with a smile, and she came over giving him a peck on his cheek. "Don't lose your mind today," Shizuru warned, and with a laugh Kuwabara managed out an, "Okay." Kuwabara ate his breakfast, watched some morning show, showered, and got dressed.

It was hard to believe just yesterday he'd been on the floor at Genkai's withering in pain.

He lazily fell back on the couch, and pet his cat when she came to him meowing. Kuwabara heard the door, opened, and sat up tensely, "Sage?" he called voice low awaiting the answer. Yusuke came in, a worried smile on his face, "No buddy...he's gone, it's just me…just you and me now buddy." Kuwabara flushed with embarrassment, "Sorry...it was just..." Yusuke flung himself over the back of the couch, half way landing on Kuwabara who cursed at him angrily. Yusuke chuckled and said, "No sweat. You went through hell, it's okay buddy." Kuwabara smiled faintly at his best friend, well more like the back of his head, "Yeah, well I shouldn't be acting like a baby." Yusuke punched his arm, and smirked as Kuwabara rubbed it glaring at him. "Kuwabara, you're not a baby...you never are..." Silence filled the room at the soft words, only to be broken when Kuwabara tackled Yusuke.

"DAMMIT KUWABARA!"

"Got ya now you cocky bastard!"

"What the HELL was that for? What do you think you're doing you low-life!"

"I think I'm FINALLY about to beat you Urameshi!!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara wrestled and threw punches at each other for a good half hour, laughing and yelling. The only reason they stopped was when Kuwabara jumped off Yusuke and his wide eyes began to stare at something in his door way. It was Sage…he was there. Sage was standing there, with his strange staff, and holding the necklace Kuwabara had been imprisoned in. He held it out small eyes narrowed pointing at the necklace, where it was apparent Sage wanted Kuwabara to return. Yusuke saw his friends face, and turned, but he saw nothing.

"Kuwabara?"

The copper haired teen jumped, and looked at Yusuke. His face was pale, and he gave a weak smile, "Can we get out of here?" Yusuke nodded silently, and helped his friend up, keeping an arm around him. Yusuke guided him out looking over his shoulder, glaring at the things Kuwabara saw, and the things he couldn't see.

"What are you seeing Kuwabara?" Yusuke finally asked when they were a block away from the apartment complex.

"Things from my dreams...it was so real," Kuwabara, whispered with a sigh, "I just want things to get back to normal."

Yusuke smiled, and gripped Kuwabara's shoulder, "They will, come on you just recovered, things don't get better just like that," Yusuke said snapping his fingers.

Kuwabara nodded, "No. They don't."

Yusuke sighed, "Now I'm getting all depressed."

Kuwabara smiled apologetically, "Sorry Urameshi."

Yusuke smacked Kuwabara's arm, "Ah shut up already! Come on, we're hitting the arcade!"

And that's what they did.

Kuwabara snickered when Yusuke got the highest score by tapping the strength-testing machine. And Yusuke smiled broadly at Kuwabara when he made the highest score at the rock paper scissors game. The played the racecar games, and on purpose they crashed both their cars into each other, for that was the best part. The chairs would shake and almost throw you off the seats if you crashed into another car. They played some more games, shooting games, basketball, and what had happened earlier just melted away. Everything was right in the world, just perfect.

"YUSUKE!"

Kuwabara and Yusuke turned when Yusuke's name was called. Kurama was there, smiling, and dragging Hiei inside to join them. "How are you feeling Kuwabara?" Kurama asked. Kuwabara smiled and laughed, "Good! Sane, healthy all that jazz." Hiei looked at him and muttered, "You're never sane," Kuwabara was about to say something when Hiei continued, "but that's what makes you such a good distraction." Kuwabara growled irritably, and jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Kuwabara was staring at himself.

But the one before him had crosses in his eyes, the word, 'Miniera,' tattooed on his chest, and little black rings all over his fingers which were those all too familiar tattoos of death. The Kuwabara in front of him had his hair down, and looked half dead. Bracelets on his body, earrings in his ears, a necklace with a red jewel in the middle, bare feet, a cape, and a staff that looked almost identical to Sage's. The Kuwabara in front of him smiled, and spoke with a voice not his own, "Hello Kuwabara, it's Batto…remember me?"

Before Kuwabara knew it, he was running, and running fast. He ran across the street, nearly getting hit by an angry driver once. He didn't stop running until he was in the park, and had tripped over a tree root. He sat up painfully, panting, and looked at his pants. They were ripped at the knee, and he was bleeding, but he felt no pain. And then he knew it. That's what had been missing from this place even though he hadn't realized It'd been missing from the start…that physical pain aspect, what let you know you were alive. All he felt in this place was his own tortured dealings from mental pain…he couldn't remember once feeling physical pain here. He heard the sounds of leaves crunching under feet, and he charged up his spirit sword. He jumped out, sword out, and almost stabbed his best friend.

He stopped just an inch before Yusuke's neck, and stared into the eyes of Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke. They all looked stunned, and Kuwabara took a step back, and let his sword fade away. There was a long silence, before Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara and held onto him tightly. "It's okay man...it's okay." Kuwabara stayed in Yusuke's arms for a moment longer, and then pulled away looking out at the park. "I have to go where it began," He said softly.

"What are you talking about?" Kurama asked gently.

"I'm not so sure myself anymore...but I have to go to that tree." Kuwabara whispered. Yusuke looked at Kuwabara, and sighed, "Lead the way then." Kuwabara looked at his friends, and smiled. He was lucky he had them, though he'd never say it out loud. Even if these were just images of his friends…even if they were fake he was so happy to have met these people in his life.

Kuwabara lead the way to the tree where he'd woken up at, and he and his friends cried out in surprise. There was a crack in the tree, and light was pouring out of it. Kuwabara looked at tree that was glowing and then his friends' startled faces. He smiled, and took a step away from them. He smiled miserably, his three friends looking worried. "Urameshi…Kurama…Hiei…I am sorry but…" Kuwabara smiled lightly at the stunned group before him.

"What is…Kuwabara get over here…get away from that tree," Kurama warned.

Kuwabara smiled shaking his head lightly, now was not the time to run.

"Kuwabara?" Yusuke gasped, and the copper haired teen smiled at him. He stood there looking at them all, taking in their faces.

"I've known since I woke up here that this wasn't real," Kuwabara whispered sadly, smiling gently at them all, "it has all been a dream, a truly wonderful dream. You don't have any strings around your fingers, how could you be real…but I ignored the facts…I just did. It's too bad that I have to wake up now, but I guess living out my life in something fake isn't a good idea either. It was nice...seeing all of you again. I'll take this with me as I wake, it'll give me strength. Don't worry about me, I am the amazing Kazuma Kuwabara after all!" He laughed and turned away from them leaping through the crack in the tree.

He heard his friend's call for him, but he didn't look back. If he did look back, he wouldn't be able to go forward, and that was what he wanted. When you have something to do, you can't look back if you expect to go forward. 'I'm a man,' Kuwabara thought, 'and my Father told me a man must never look back, he must always press forward, that is what a man does, and I'll be damned before I ever disappoint Dad.'

Kuwabara heard a man screaming in his ear, and then felt a strange jolt. He opened his eyes and touched his face. It was solid, and his hands weren't see through. There were no red-jeweled walls in fact the necklace was in his hands. He looked down at the necklace the crack in the jewel had gotten larger, and then shattered when Kuwabara woke. Kuwabara touched his face again, eyes wide.

"I'm...I'm free..."

**End of this chapter.**

Yup, Kuwabara's somehow escaped from his imprisonment, and now it's time for him to escape from Sage! but...as Kurama listens to Kari, and Kazuma tell the story of how they were imprisoned the words he said to Yusuke, "I want him dead! Do it right, or I'll do it!" come back to haunt him. He changes his mind too late that he didn't mean what he said, and now, a finally freed Kuwabara will have to pay for it.

Smooth move Kurama!


	12. Episode Twelve:The Story Of Kazuma &Kari

HEY! Everyone say thank you to Joy. She gave me Morgan D's site, to look at some episodes to refresh meh memory and all that jazz. Everyone also say thank you to Morgan D, for one of the flashback quotes come from her info.

So...

YAY JOY AND MORGAN OKAY! And…enjoy the new and revised chapter

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**EPISODE TWELVE: THE STORY OF KAZUMA AND KARI**

Kuwabara sat stunned for a few seconds before jumping up, chest rising up and down at a fast pace. 'Okay, calm down Kazuma...calm down...you have to get out of here!' Kuwabara thought looking around. He looked down at himself, and cringed, "Well...maybe I have time to find some clothes..." He turned and saw his face in the mirror, "And hair gel." As he set out to find these things, he pushed out the question of Batto. I mean, if Kuwabara was back inside his body, where was Batto's deranged soul?

Kuwabara walked into a room, and recognized it as the one he'd woken up in when he first arrived. Kuwabara suddenly paused in his actions and counted on his fingers to himself. "Have I really been here only four or five days?" Kuwabara looked around carefully and tore apart the room in search of clothes. He found some, they weren't his, but they were better than what he had on. He pulled those on, after taking all the jewelry and other needless accessories off his body. He cringed slightly as he wiped glitter off his face, "Ew...I must have looked so fruity...what the hell is wrong with Batto and Sage…besides the obvious…"

Kuwabara had managed to find plain clothes, at least what you could consider complain. The pants were a cream color and, in lack of better words, "poofy." The end of the pants reached his ankles, and looked okay there, but then it got strange from there on up. They stood out, bulky and seeming to defy gravity just a bit. The shirt was no better it was black and long, a little tight, but then again Kuwabara knew these clothes were not meant for him. Though these pants were weird, these were the best he could do. Kuwabara was very relieved to be out of other odd clothes had had been in...They were far worse then the ones he was wearing now, if you could believe that. Amazingly he found some hair gel, and styled his hair the way he usually had it styled. He looked at himself, and smiled, 'I'm back,' he thought.

He frowned slightly, and touched the mirror where his cursed eyes were. "Almost..." He said aloud.

Those crosses in his eyes were burning hole through him.

His anger flared up at what had been done to him, and he punched the mirror shattering it. He looked at his bleeding hand, and whispered, "Why me...?" He ran out of the room, his minds spinning, 'Why,' he thought, 'Why me? Why my parents...am I really this pure hearted thing meant to open those gates. I'm not anything! I'm not a weapon for the end of the world! I'm just not...I can't be. I refuse to be what will end the world! I absolutely refuse it! I'm just Kazuma Kuwabara!!'

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Kurama had woken in the clearing, and found it empty.

"He's already gone," Kari's voice caused the fox to turn sharply around, "We have food." She and Kazuma had made breakfast, and were waving at him to come sit and have some. He walked over, trying to think of a way to tell them what Yusuke went to go do. That Yusuke was off to go kill their son.

But it was not needed.

"Yusuke...he went to go kill my son didn't he?" Kazuma asked taking a bite of a large mushroom, that Kurama had said was safe to eat their first meal together. Kurama sat down and couldn't look him in the eye. "It's for the best..." Kari whispered, as a startled Kurama looked at her. She had the saddest expression on her face. "My boy...he would hate to see what he's been forced to become. My son...did you know at the age of six, he came home carrying a bird he had killed. He'd found it with a stick through its neck..." Kari shook her head, "No way to save it, It was suffering the poor thing...but my little Kazu...he ended it's life to stop it's pain. But he was so sad. I'd never seen him so sad."

Kurama looked at them both eating slowly. A hand came down on his shoulder, and Kurama looked up at Kazuma. "Did he and Hiei...were they good friends?" Kurama shook his head no, but smiled, "They said they were going to kill each other almost every five seconds. I've seen them defend each other, fight side by side, and rescue one another...never seen either of them try anything more than that. Hiei might take a swipe at Kuwabara-but Hiei was my best friend. I knew his real actions…I knew all his words were farce. Though they weren't good friends I think…Hiei and Kuwabara both wanted to be." Kurama smiled, softly, and covered his eyes.

Kari sat next to him, embraced him and stroked his hair, "Shush dear...shush. It's all right now, you have no reason to feel bad about what you want." Kurama stiffened in her arms, "We heard what you said...and it's okay. You are not a bad friend. You have a right to be angry...I'm sorry...that poor man...poor Hiei." Kari released him and looked at Kazuma who nodded at her. Kari smiled, "Can we tell you of how we came here?" Kurama nodded, he'd been wondering about that for himself, quite some time now.

Kazuma set his meal down, gazing at his wife, as she nodded at him to begin the tale of how they had arrived here.

_Years ago…_

_Kazuma and Kari were laughing as their daughter cooked, a proud smile on her face. "You're doing wonderful dear, you'll pass that cooking class for sure!" Kari said with a pleased grin. They heard the door open and close, and Shizuru, holding some of the cookies she'd just made, went to go greet her brother. "Kazu look what I-OH MY GOD! YOUR FACE!"_

_At her cry Kazuma and Kari went to go see their son, who was a complete mess. "Oh sweetie..." Kari whispered touching his face. His clothes were dirty and ripped, and one of his eyes was swollen shut, his lip was busted, and his nose bleeding. Tears were in his blue eyes and he didn't look up at his parents. "I'm sorry..." He mumbled, Kari hugged her ten-year-old son, who was already almost her height._

_Her son was the tallest in his grade, but definitely not mean or anything horrid like that. He didn't even like fighting, and to be honest preferred reading comics, or just sitting outside under a tree. It would be a big contrast to the man he would become years later. Kazuma picked his boy up, and set him down on the counter, and began washing his face. "Son, you've got to defend yourself!" Kuwabara didn't say anything, didn't even look his dad in the eyes. "Kazuma I'm not mad at you," Kuwabara's father said to him. He sighed looking at his sulking boy, and playfully tugged at one of his boys copper curls, "I'm never mad at my little junior!" He playfully tickled his son who finally showed signs of life by giggling._

_That night as Kazuma watched TV with his kids, and with Kari leaning against his arm, the phone rang. He answered and cheerfully said, "This is the Kuwabara residence, who is speaking?" A low chuckle appeared on his phone, and a voice said, "You've helped Yenma haven't you?" Kazuma stiffened. Yes, he and his wife did assist Yenma, but that was confidential, no one knew, but those in spirit world. "Who is this?" Kazuma demanded, but the laughing voice just whispered, "You'll find out soon enough." There was a click, and the voice was gone._

_The next day, Kazuma waited for his son in the car. He didn't want his son to come home with bruises again, and since the phone call last night he'd been a little anxious. He watched his son exit the building but he didn't leave the playground area, in fact he headed for three older boys. Kazuma worried, stepped out of his car, and decided to watch what was taking place._

_Kuwabara stood in front of the two older boys, who glared at him. "Here again Ku-ku?" Kuwabara glared at them, and muttered, "Give Casey back his book. He needs that book, it's not yours!" The two older boys laughed, "It's been four days of us beating you to a pulp, and you're not going to give up? That Casey kid and you aren't even friends! Besides…there's no way you can be Casey's friend! We used to pick on him last year and he's not around any longer!" Kuwabara glared at them, "That doesn't matter. I'm getting it back for him!" Kazuma watched in shock and pride, as his son and the two boys began to fight, and Kuwabara held his own. Kazuma now knew where the bruises and injuries were coming from, but he still couldn't understand why his son didn't tell him about this situation._

_Kazuma marched for the fighting three, and yanked the two older boys up by their colors. "Give the book back, and I might not turn you into your principals!" He snapped at them both. They both stuttered that the book was in their backpack, which Kuwabara retrieved. Before Kazuma set the kids down his son had taken off without a word. "Kazu!" Kazuma called in shock as his son raced off. He set the two boys down, and glared at them, "If you lay a finger on my boy, you'll be in serious trouble." The boys glared at him, and Kazuma grabbed the nearest boy, "Ichi…I swear you will suffer," the boy paled at Kazuma's words._

"_How do you k-know my name!/" The boy squeaked._

_Kazuma was using his abilities to learn about the boy and allowed his eyes to glow, "Trust me boy there is much I can do that you can't understand!" He dropped the boy and with his friend, the children ran off screaming._

_Kazuma searched for his son and eventually found Kuwabara in a graveyard one of his regular hang outs-though Kazuma could not figure out why of all places. His boy was kneeling down and talking to a headstone, resting the book under it. "Here Casey, you can go home now. I got your book back for you." Kazuma stared in shock. 'My son...can see spirits?' Kazuma thought to himself. He knew Shizuru was like himself, and Kari, but his son had shown no signs of seeing spirits. Kazuma watched his boy rise, and turn, staring at him with a freshly split lip. Kazuma smiled and walked over to him, "Kazu-chan you're very honorable, promise me not to change?" Kuwabara's face lit up, and he hugged his dad, who laughed at his boy._

_But on the car ride home disaster struck. _

_When the two pulled up to their home, Kuwabara was asleep and that was when Kazuma first met Sage. The man had been about to lift his son out of the car when a cackle filled the air. He quickly locked his son in the car, and spun around to face a small monk, but Kazuma wasn't one to be fooled. "Demon...what are you doing here?" The demon laughed, "Greetings Kazuma, I'm Sage, and I've come to ask a favor of you." Kazuma kept his eyes on him, and said, "Well, if you're favor is good I might consider..."_

_Sage laughed, and faded away, only to reappear at the window a sleeping Kuwabara leaned against. "It's a simple task, just open the gates of Hell..." Kazuma gasped, "What...what? No, I won't do that! I don't even know what you're talking about!" Sage laughed, "One of you holds the Spirit Sword...a sensed it...I'm not sure who though...it just so happens that your entire family has a high level of spirit awareness, and it's hard to find the right one of you who has this power...though I'm almost positive it's you. So come with me...and I'll stay away from your darling children..." Sage's hand was on the window, and Kazuma could see him powering up. Kazuma growled, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"_

_Kazuma dropped his head and sighed, "I'll come with you Sage..."_

_"And I too."_

_The two turned to Kari, who walked steadily towards them. She took her husbands, shocked hand, and whispered, "I felt your presence, and I'm coming too." Kazuma grabbed his wife's shoulders, and cried, "No you can't!" Kari smiled at him, " 'For better or worse, I will love you,' " was all she said. Kazuma looked at her, and then to his son in the car. He sighed, unlocking the door, and picked him up, placing him on the doorstep to their house. He turned towards his wife, and Sage, "Let's go."_

_Back to the present…_

"…And then we were brought here, and he realized we weren't the ones with this, "Spirit Sword," or "Jigan-To," or whatever it's called and he knew it could only be our son. So...with that he made us slaves, and waited for our boy to get old enough to use the sword. But when he went back to get our son, he'd found he'd moved, and it took some time to find him." Kazuma sighed, "I wish Kuwabara had never been found then...he wouldn't have been..." Kari bowed her head, sighing, "No use dwelling...we have...we have one child we must live for...and we'll live for him even if...he's dead..."

Kurama looked at them, "How can you stomach me...when I want him to die?" he finally burst.

Kazuma and Kari looked at him. Kari cocked her head as touched Kurama's face, "Because dear boy, you don't. In your eyes, I can see it. You are trying to forget what Kuwabara is, and the more you force it down, the more it comes back up. You want to forget my son, what he really is, so that killing him, will be like killing another monster that you've been assigned to kill."

Kurama felt sick, and trusted the woman's words though he could still feel the festering hate inside him.

Kurama rose looking at them, and turned away, flecks of tears falling off his cheeks. "I don't want to lose anymore of my friends." With that said he ran off, and the memories he'd been suppressing rushed back. Fighting side by side, helping him study for an exam, Kuwabara standing next to him at his parents wedding...all that. But one memory forced itself to the front of the stream of memories, and hit Kurama hard, as if he'd crashed into a brick wall.

He could see Kuwabara standing in front of Genkai's steps. The intense light made him look dark. Kurama noted that this was not how it was when it really happened, he could see Kuwabara then, but now he couldn't. He was standing away from him looking at the steps, the light shining so intensely in front of the copper haired boy. Kurama heard himself ask, "What is it, Kuwabara?"

The wind blew Kurama's red hair as he ran, and the wind in his memory also stirred his hair. Kuwabara gave one snort of laughter and sighed, "Urameshi and I met Genkai for the first time when we climbed this long staircase to take part in the contest that appointed her successor," Kuwabara said with nostalgia, "Then we fought against the Four Beasts, then in Taroukane's mansion...and of course, in the Dark Tournament. Now Urameshi became a Makai child himself... but I think everything started in this staircase. I can't forget..."

Kurama hadn't realized how sad Kuwabara sounded until this moment, nor had he caught the hidden message in his voice…it was as if in Kuwabara's words he could hear, "I'm being left behind...I'm going to be alone..."

Kurama closed his eyes growling. "NO! I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN! I'M SORRY! I KNOW WHERE I STAND NOW! I KNOW! I SHOULDN'T WANT YOU DEAD, I SHOULD WANT YOU TO COME BACK!" Youko screamed to himself, picking up speed.

But Youko stopped his whole body freezing at a sharp piercing scream in the air. Youko almost collapsed right there. That was Kuwabara's cry. "Oh God...no...no! I can't be too late! NO! I just can't!" Youko Kurama sniffed the air and realized he could smell blood, Yusuke...and...

"Kuwabara..."

Youko collapsed, and gazed at his hands as they dug into the dirt.

Kuwabara appeared in his head again, but this time he wasn't a blackened out figure, he could see him. Kuwabara seemed to glow with a celestial light, and his eyes looked at peace. However there was this intense sadness…just hiding in the depth of his eyes. He was wearing his school uniform that Kurama had first met him in. Youko Kurama looked up at Kuwabara who looked down at him, in every sense of the word. Kuwabara looked so sad, and utterly disappointed. He turned and walked away tossing over his shoulder, "I wouldn't have given up on you Kurama. It's awful hard and sad to see you give up on me."

**End of this chapter**

Oooo sorry Kurama...this was mean...but it's okay. everyone still loves you...I think...and in the next episode: we find out why Kuwabara screamed and if Yusuke really finished the job.


	13. Episode Thirteen: Kuwabara VS Yusuke

well here's the new episode! Enjoy plz! The revised version.

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**EPISODE THIRTEEN: KUWABARA VS. YUSUKE**

Kuwabara had found it very easy to escape. He simply walked out of the building and no one stopped him, they all must have thought he was Batto. They shrunk away from him a dew demons and human slaves telling him where his, "father," was. Kuwabara only nodded and swiftly walked on, trying to avoid eye contact or speaking. Within minutes he was in the woods, and locating his friend's spirit energy. Kuwabara felt light on his feet, and a smile was dancing across his face. He could join up with his friends, and they could all go home! "I can't wait to see the look on Hiei's face! 'He escaped? the moron?' Yeah that'll be his reaction! I hope he's not too sore at me for hurting him…" Kuwabara said aloud as he jogged through the forest.

Kuwabara could remember that Batto had stabbed Hiei…but there was no Hiei was dead from something like that….if Hiei had known what Kuwabara was thinking, if he'd been alive to stick around…he would have called Kuwabara a great fool.

"Man, I'm gonna hit Urameshi upside his head for thinking Batto was me! Come on, that guy..." Kuwabara sighed, continuing his comfortable jog, "I can't wait to see them...my Mom, my dad...everyone...man." Kuwabara paused to look around his surroundings, and then looked down at his hands. The black rings were still on his fingers, and he knew that the other tattoo on his chest was still there. "Damn...am I going to have to go to a doctor and get them removed?"

"I could just cut all your fingers off, and then those rings wouldn't be there."

Kuwabara turned, and out of the shadow of the trees Yusuke appeared. He had a very serious look on his face, his eyes shining with bitterness. Yusuke's eyes flashed with anger when he looked at Kuwabara's hair. "What's with your hair...Sage start commanding you to do that? Gell it up like that to mess with us more?" Yusuke demanded.

Kuwabara stared at his best friend, missing out on all that he was saying to him. All he knew was that his best friend was right there in front of him. Happily Kuwabara ran over to Yusuke, and hugged him, "Man it's good to see you! You won't bel-uh!" Kuwabara was sent flying back, crashing through five trees before he finally came to stop. He coughed loudly, blood splashing on his new shirt. Holding his stomach where he'd been punched, Kuwabara groaned as loud as he dared, knowing he'd been in a world of pain if he made too much noise.

He looked up at Yusuke who appeared in front of him, looking coldly at him. "I won't fall for that. I won't fall for that trick...the same trick you used to kill Hiei." Kuwabara's eyes widened, and he rose quicker than he thought he could.

"What are you talking about? Hiei...he...Hiei's dead!" Kuwabara cried grabbing Yusuke's shoulders. Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara by the wrist, squeezing it, and forcing Kuwabara to his knees. "Yes...Kuwabara..." Yusuke's face softened and his grip loosened, "I know somewhere the real you can hear me...but...I have to stop you because if I don't...you'll keep killing those you care about, and you'd never forgive me if I let you continue what you're doing."

Kuwabara looked up at his best friend, "I really killed Hiei...?" He looked away from Yusuke in shock not even noticing the pain Yusuke was causing him by squeezing his wrist. Kuwabara then realized that Yusuke was talking about killing him, and Kuwabara looked up at him, "I broke free Urameshi...you have...no idea what I went through to break free from where I was...please let me make what I did right..." Kuwabara looked away covering his eyes with his free hand, "Hiei I'm sorry..."

Yusuke growled, eyes clouding with tears, and he threw Kuwabara away from him. "STOP IT YOU BASTARD!" Yusuke growled holding up a glowing finger, "Stop sounding like my best friend you hell induced piece of shit!"

Kuwabara had risen angrily, and yelled, "What you call me Urameshi! You were just now saying you want to free my soul, which by the way it's the **REAL** Kuwabara you're talking to, but you didn't say you were gonna call me names!" Kuwabara wiped his watery eyes, "Tell me...what did I do to Hiei?"

Yusuke growled angrily again, wiping his eyes and drying them quickly before snarling "You sick bastard! You want to hear what you've done? You that proud of your handiwork?"

Kuwabara looked at him, standing tall, "Urameshi...I'm sorry...I didn't...it's me Kuwabara...I didn't want to kill Hiei...hell...I was mad that he hadn't come to see me after we were separated so long because of that Makai tournament you all went to-"

"SHUT UP! STOP PRETENDING YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND!" Yusuke roared and fired his spirit gun right at Kuwabara. Kuwabara watched in shock as it headed for him. Kuwabara's body jerked back as the bullet-sized blast pierced through his shoulder, blood spraying out his body, and a scream rising from his mouth. He fell to one knee, and looked up at Urameshi, and whispered, "You can do better...you held back...a lot. If you want to kill me, then kill me! Don't think you can get away with playing around you lazy ass" Kuwabara looked away from Yusuke so he wouldn't see the tears in his eyes, "But, just so you know, I refuse to die without defending myself, without fighting you one last time." Kuwabara got up, his bleeding arm limply at his side, his spirit sword in the other. "If I killed Hiei...then dammit I deserve to die, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be weak about it. If it's my time then it's my time, just make sure Yukina knows I never wanted to kill her brother, he was my friend too."

"SHUT UP!" Yusuke roared firing several blasts of spirit energy at Kuwabara. Kuwabara grunted as he blocked each one, the last one bouncing off his sword, and flying over the top of Yusuke's head, knocking a tree over. Yusuke dodged the falling tree, and with his spirit gun charged, he looked around for Kuwabara, who couldn't be seen.

"Urameshi what did I say earlier? STOP HOLDING BACK!"

Yusuke was taken by surprise as a fist smashed into his face. Yusuke rolled on the ground, and then sprung back up, glaring at Kuwabara.

The copper haired teen was panting, and looked at Yusuke holding his shoulder. Kuwabara's blood had shot out faster from his rapid movement, and the sheer force behind his punch. His blood had now coated his entire arm, and stained the new clothes he had stolen. Kuwabara had an almost insane look in his eyes, and his face was set for war. "Urameshi you've never gone half assed in any battle, don't you dare start now..."

Yusuke sat up raising his hand, and glared at Kuwabara, "I'll...I'll never forgive..." Yusuke fired a blast at him, nicking an unmoving Kuwabara's cheek. "I...you killed Kurama when you killed Hiei...hell You're not even Kuwabara anymore thanks to Sage...and...dammit I know this is the only way to save you but...DAMMIT!"

Kuwabara looked at his best friend, and tried again to talk to him, "Urameshi I know you're confused...hell you're just plain nuts...but it's me...I got away...I'm back."

Kuwabara saw the doubt in Yusuke's eyes, and sighed making a fist. "If you truly have any doubts about me, and who you are really talking to, then kill me!" Kuwabara charged, "IF YOU WANT TO PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY AND AVENGE HIEI THEN KILL ME URAMESHI!" Tears were dripping down Kuwabara's face as he ran for Yusuke, his best friend staring at him horrified. "DO IT IF YOU FEEL YOU MUST YOU ASS HOLE!"

Kuwabara watched as Yusuke's face became set, and he charged up his blast. "Sorry buddy." Kuwabara heard him whisper. Kuwabara closed his eyes, "Me too," he whispered so Yusuke could hear. As he felt the heat of the blast near him, he couldn't help but think, 'This is cruel irony...I wanted to die while I was imprisoned in that jewel, so my friends would be safe, but now that I'm out and my friends are in danger, and one is dead I want to live...but.' Kuwabara sighed, "At least this way Sage will never be able to open the gates."

But good fortune (or clumsiness) saved Kuwabara, for he tripped crashing into Yusuke's legs, and the blast sailed right over him. There was a loud explosion outside that could be heard for miles, and then the air was still. Yusuke sat up, the bleeding Kuwabara lying limply in his lap. He grabbed him and turned him on his back, and placed a hand on his chest, and a glowing finger on his head. Kuwabara opened his eyes wearily smirking, "At least it's you killing me buddy...I know you think it's not me...I guess this whole deal has messed you up in the head but I've always thought you were messed up..." Kuwabara laughed closing his eyes, "At least I got to fight you one-"

Laughing silenced Kuwabara.

Yusuke was smiling, and burst into rolling loud laughter. Kuwabara glared at him, his face turning red from anger, and yelled, "HEY! Urameshi what's the big idea? You don't have to get all excited about killing me you cocky bastard!" Kuwabara was pulled sharply up off the ground, Yusuke laughing, "YOU HAVE A HEART BEAT! A HEART BEAT! IT IS YOU, YOU BUTT-UGLY, NO GOOD, SON-OF-A-BITCH!"

Yusuke held onto him hugging Kuwabara tight, and Kuwabara struggled not to scream from the pain Yusuke was causing him. Yusuke suddenly realized what he'd been trying to do, and what he'd almost done, and released Kuwabara.

"Oh fuck!"

"You're damn right, 'oh fuck!' Jesus Urameshi you nearly blew my arm off!!"

Yusuke ignored Kuwabara for the time being and ripped off one of the sleeves to his shirt, and began to bandage Kuwabara, apologizing, and demanding an explanation for everything. Kuwabara gave him one, wincing as Yusuke continued wrapping his bleeding shoulder, with more and more pieces of a Yusuke's shirt.

"Damn Kuwabara, Your shoulder's messed up...sorry." Yusuke said after he finally stopped the bleeding. Yusuke had used up his entire shirt, which seemed a small price to pay in his opinion. Kuwabara didn't look at Yusuke, but asked, "So Batto...so I killed Hiei?" Yusuke looked at the back of his best friend's head, and he could see the tears dripping off his chin. "You hate me now Urameshi? You should have killed me...if I hadn't wanted to come here...if I hadn't let Sage take me..." Kuwabara's voice cracked and he covered his face ashamed, "Can this week get any better?"

Yusuke hugged Kuwabara, and whispered, "I'm so sorry..." Kuwabara shook his head, and wiped his eyes, "No, I'm sorry...you should kill me...How can I even look at the others again? I won't be able to look Yukina of Kurama in the eye...I can't even look at my reflection, without breaking the mirror." Kuwabara spat holding up his cut up hand.

Yusuke turned Kuwabara's face to him, and looked at the crosses in his eyes. "We'll find a way to cover that up...Koenma can probably hide those marks, or change your pupils back to normal...as for Hiei...we'll kill that Sage bastard and Koenma...well he has to help us get Hiei back..." Kuwabara nodded closing his eye, "Urameshi, he wants me to open those gates...we need to...I need to be-" Yusuke got in his face and yelled, "NO! YOU ARE BACK! BACK WITH US! HIEI WANTED TO BRING YOU BACK, SO YOU DYING WOULD BE A WASTE OF HIS SACRIFICE!" Kuwabara turned away from Yusuke, who sighed cursing lowly. He looked at his friend, and put an arm around him, "I don't think Hiei would come all the way here and die, just to find you killed yourself when we rescued you because you felt bad for something that wasn't your fault, understand?"

Kuwabara sighed and then looked at Yusuke, "I'm hungry...I don't think Batto has been eating."

Yusuke laughed, and gave Kuwabara a smile, "Or bathing! Whoo! You smell!" Kuwabara punched Yusuke playfully, but then winced because of his arm. Yusuke smiled at his best friend, and helped him to his feet.

Just then, Youko Kurama burst through the brush.

Instantly Kuwabara's eyes dropped, and Yusuke had jumped in front of Kuwabara crying, "Wait, Kurama, this...let me explain!" Youko Kurama had pushed Yusuke out of the way, and held Kuwabara by the shoulders. "Kuwabara..." Kuwabara looked at Youko, and watched as he faded away into his normal self. The red headed, green eyed youth stared at Kuwabara, and wrapped his arms around Kuwabara, sobbing. Kuwabara was shocked, but held onto Kurama, rubbing his back.

"It's okay...it's okay..." Kuwabara said, knowing in the back of his mind it wasn't.

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A groan filled the air, and weary eyes opened to see the forest leaves. A bandaged young man sat up, and groaned. He held his head, looking sick, and feeling just as bad as he looked if not worse.

"You're up..." Red eyes turned to the source of the voice.

A woman with orange hair that hid half her face was looking at the man who'd just gotten up. She smirked almost cockily, though there was something else shining in her eyes. "When I found you, you were barely alive...you've had a high fever for the past three days...glad to see you're awake." The black haired man glared at her, and grumpily whispered, "I can take care of myself."

She smiled, "Yes...Glad to see you are awake...Hiei."

**End of this chapter**

How's that? Next episode will explain How Hiei survived. Hee...I hope I got you!


	14. Episode Fourteen: Hiei's Story

Okay sorry this hasn't been updated in a bit but one of my best buddies got back from China

Okay sorry this hasn't been updated in a bit but one of my best buddies got back from China. Yay! She's home from her roots. She taught me something that means, "I want your tofu," But it's sexual innuendo for I want to molest you-bwhahahahahahahaha...oh we're weird kids.

Yosh new revised version!

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**EPISODE FOURTEEN: HIEI'S STORY**

As Kuwabara, Kurama, and Yusuke walked on, the newly freed human was beginning to feel the toll of all the stress that had been laid upon him. At one point he just sort of slowed and sagged down, dragging his feet behind him looking weaker and more tired with each step. Kurama had grown a plant that would heal his arm up, but Kuwabara would still have that wound until the next day. But Kuwabara still felt weak…and he continued to walk slower, and slower, until he just full out collapsed, Yusuke catching him before Kuwabara's face could say hello to the mud. Kurama checked Kuwabara's pulse, and checked his eyes, and his chest and rib cage looking for any sort of damage. Kuwabara tried to say he was fine but wound up just letting out weak tired little mumbles that scared his two friends more. Kurama determined that Kuwabara was malnourished, and dehydrated. Batto had not been eating or drinking, or when he did it was not enough to keep Kuwabara's body healthy.

Kurama and Yusuke helped Kuwabara up, and half dragged him back to where they had made camp. Kuwabara's head lazily lifted up when her heard two soft gasps. He looked up seeing his mom and Dad standing there in awe looking at their son as if he was a vision.

With what little strength he had left, Kuwabara forced himself to walk over to them, and half collapsed on his father, his arms wrapped around him.

"Dad! Oh Dad…" Kuwabara gasped out hunger, thirst, and exhaustion forgotten for the moment.

Kazuma and Kari embraced there son, who smiled, and faded away into sleep, as Kari wept over him, and kissed his brow. Kuwabara was finally free, the hardest part, escaping from Sage, was over. Now they just had to kill Sage, and that seemed like a most enjoyable task.

**Meanwhile…**

Hiei grunted with pain as he tired to stand, but Mukuro was at his side in an instant, coolly ordering, "Don't move dumb ass."

Hiei glared at her, and flatly asked, "What are you doing here?"

Mukuro went back to a stew she was making, and replied, "Saving your ass apparently."

Hiei glared at her, and sighed. He loved that woman for all this. For the way that she acted, so cold and seemingly uncaring to the world, when in all reality, she saw the word for its ugliness and beauty. He let his gaze soften as he took in her form. She had followed him without question, something Hiei gladly would do for her. As he stared at her he could remember what Kuwabara had written in that letter…about him loving her. Well, Kuwabara was the psychic after all.

"Quit staring Hiei."

Hiei jumped and glared back at her, "I am not staring," he knew it was a lie, but admitting to staring could not be an option. Mukuro smiled at him, and casually tried the soup she'd been making for the past half hour. She pointed the ladle at Hiei's bandaged torso, and asked, "Care to explain that to me? And don't even think of saying it was just a scratch."

Hiei sat silently, hands gripping the covers that Mukuro had draped over his body. He thought hard about the past events, about what led him to this moment. Something in the pit of Hiei's stomach twisted as he remembered the tiny soul of Kazuma Kuwabara locked away within that jewel. And Hiei wondered if he'd let him down at all. After a moment of silence he finally said, "Kuwabara, the one I came to rescue stabbed me." Mukuro set the ladle in the stew looking at him, waiting for him to go on.

"But it wasn't Kuwabara...As I was stabbed, I saw Kuwabara's soul in a necklace. The one in Kuwabara's body called himself Batto."

Mukuro's brows lifted and she interrupted with, "Ah, Sage's son." Hiei looked at her, and she continued, knowing Hiei wanted to know more, "Sage's son was killed by a messenger of God himself, of so it's said. Batto was the one that found the gates of purgatory. He was going to search for the pure hearted human that could open the gates, when he was smote." Mukuro smiled shaking her head, "But I guess Batto's dear old father didn't want to lose his son and somehow kept his soul. It's not a hard task to do, fairly easy if you have the right things. I'm not too surprised, opening the gates was Sage's idea, Batto was too stupid to ever do anything for himself."

Hiei nodded, "But why open the gates of Purgatory, won't that kill us all? Even the ones in demon world?"

Mukuro nodded, "Yes, but at the same time, a new world, a darker world will be created. A new demon world that will overpower both the human world and Spirit world will be born from the ashes of the universe. Many demons can only dream of this, and the smarter ones have wanted the gates to be open for years, knowing that through their deaths will come a rebirth of a greater demon world."

Hiei raised his eyebrows, looking at her critically, "And you said you've thought of opening the gates?"

Mukuro smiled, "Yes, but I guess I'm not so smart as I'd like to think. I prefer living in the world I am now, rather than dying for a newer one."

Hiei smiled at her as she turned back to the stew, but then a look of panic crossed his face. "I have to tell Yusuke and Kurama not to kill Kuwabara. There is no doubt in my mind that they will try to kill him, to "free him," from this supposed, "brainwashing." But from what you've told me, that will never work. Sage will just keep putting his son's soul back inside Kuwabara's corpse, while Kuwabara deteriorates in that jewel."

Mukuro handed him a bowl of food, "Eat," she commanded.

He looked at her and though he accepted the bowl he set it aside, "Is he dead then, Kuwabara I mean…is he dead now that his soul is out of his body like that? Does that make him gone or can he still get back into his body."

Mukuro sighed, "He will need a lot of mental strength to break free from where ever he is imprisoned, but yes, his soul could return to his body. And as if he's dead…I don't really know. I believe he is technically dead, but since his body has been animated and not still, frozen from death I believe Kuwabara's soul if still strong and willing will be able to re-enter his body."

Hiei sighed, "Mental strength eh? Never mind then…There's no chance for him."

Mukuro looked at Hiei's face. Though to anyone else, it was the same passive face that he always wore, same dead monotone, same cruel jab like comment, she could see that he was truly upset.

"What about..." Hiei began, "What about a strong heart? He has that...In fact that seems to be what drives him."

Mukuro smiled, "His heart?" she looked ready to laugh, but sighed, "Maybe then...maybe with his heart he could break free from his imprisonment. If he is capable to open the gates because he's pure hearted, then maybe he's capable to break free from his imprisonment."

Hiei and Mukuro sat for a moment in silence when he reached for the bowl, but stopped before grabbing it. He turned to Mukuro, "Then couldn't he close it?" Mukuro looked at Hiei, who said again, "Then couldn't he close the gates Mukuro? If he can open them, couldn't he close them as well?"

Mukuro looked at Hiei and sighed, "Yes, but not so easily as it is to open them." She sighed, and drew closer to Hiei so that he could look her in her one perfect, eye. "Hiei, all your friend has to do is use his dimension cutting sword of this, that Jigan-to to open the gates, but to close it, he would have to sacrifice himself to Hell, and become part of the gates. That is a pain far worse than actually being in Hell, or Limbo, or any other punishment Yenma could slap on us. Becoming part of the gates, picks at your soul, as it tears at your body. Your body twists and burns away as you become a bar. Your flesh will rot and your soul will turn to dust, yet you are alive for every moment, for the rest of eternity." Mukuro sighed looking at Hiei, who seemed frozen to the very core from those words, "Pray that your friend does not open the gates, and does not figure out how to close them. Because if he is really pure hearted-"

"Then he would think nothing of throwing himself into the gates." Hiei finished.

He looked at the bowl and picked it up, the stew now cool. "I've known Kuwabara for years...even if technically I've only spent one year working beside him, it does not erase the fact that I know him. For all his stupid human faults, for his stupid frail body, I know him, and despite the bad taste it leaves in my mouth when I utter his name, I still know him. And he is one of the few people I know that would do something so foolish and filled with false bravado. I have to get to the others and warn them."

Mukuro caught his arm, "First, you have to eat, but later, as soon as you're done, I promise to help you get to your friends and tell them what you have told me, and I will tell them what I know." Hiei glared at her, but before he could speak, Mukuro placed a finger on his lips, "Hiei, I beat you in the Makai tournament, what makes you think I can't beat you now in your weakened state?" Hiei sighed, and began to eat the soup slowly. She smiled and nodded her head, and made herself her own bowl.

"This tastes terrible," Hiei muttered under his breath, receiving an eerily calm, "Fuck you," from Mukuro.

**End of this chapter**

that's it for now I hope you enjoyed it. Next Episode: Hiei reunites with the group, but just in time to witness...:insert something bad here: sorry can't tell you what it is!


	15. Episode Fifteen: Reunited

We are reaching the climax soon it will come, give it two or three more episodes! YEAH! Enjoy the latest chapter!

Experience the new revised version!

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**EPISODE FIFTEEN: REUNITED **

That night, as the campfire burned, and the flying beasts slept, the three remaining rekai, and Kuwabara's parents, sat in a blissful silence.

Kuwabara had collapsed on his mother and father's laps, and fallen quietly and quickly asleep, a slight smile on his face. Kuwabara's breaths were deep, and not a sound came from him. Everyone found this unnatural, Yusuke and Kurama haven both been witnesses to Kuwabara's sleep talking, but they blamed this unnatural silence on Sage's cruel methods towards his captive. While Kuwabara slept the group tended wounds, caused by a very embarrassed Yusuke, and only stirred him to get him to eat and drink, and then after that he went right back to sleeping. He slept like he was dead, and because of this Yusuke would come often to Kazuma, and Kari's side, and prod Kuwabara until he made a noise.

This of course annoyed the hell out of Kuwabara, and he'd take a swipe at Yusuke. Yusuke would grin cheekily and say, "Yup that's Kuwabara."

Kuwabara woke from an occasional nightmare, and through these nightmares the group were able to learn about a person called "Batto," and though they didn't quiet understand it all, they had managed to grasp that it was this "Batto," person who had been inhabiting Kuwabara's body for over a week now.

It was nighttime now, and Kuwabara had slept most of the day away, but no one was keen on waking him up too soon. Kari leaned against her husband, all the while stroking her son's hair, and humming a lullaby. Something she hadn't been able to do for many years. Yusuke felt at peace, and even thought about leaving and not going after Sage. But flashes of Hiei's falling body, and the crosses in Kuwabara's miserable eyes changed his mind each time.

Yusuke looked over at Kurama who sat the farthest from them all, the fire casting dark shadows on his grim face. He was happy that Kuwabara had managed to break free and join them, but he had still lost one of his closest friends. Hiei was still dead and gone, leaving him alone. Kurama, though good friends with Yusuke and Kuwabara knew how the group was normally, "divided," up. Kuwabara stuck close to Yusuke, and Kurama stuck close to Hiei. It's just how their team worked, and now Hiei was gone and that familiarity had went with it. Yusuke sat down quietly next to Kurama, and threw his arm around his shoulder. They didn't say anything to each other they only looked on at the fire.

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The next day had come too slowly for Hiei. He cursed himself for falling asleep early the previous day. He'd woken in the dead of night, but Mukuro refused to go out then. She kicked him in the head at one point telling him to shut the hell up, and go to sleep or she just might kill him. Hiei figured she was more fatigued then him, she had after all cared for him for three days and three nights, his life hanging in the balance. He had a feeling she hadn't slept much.

But when it was morning he rose up, and rolled his shoulders. "Let us go, I have to tell the others not to kill the buffoon."

Mukuro nodded, and watched him remove his bandage, revealing and opening his third eye. "Using that? I hardly ever see you do that..."

Hiei sighed, "I admit...one of Kuwabara's good, and only useful traits, is his ability to sense others, and find things. If he were here..." Hiei shook his head, "If he was not possessed, and had escaped by himself, which I doubt, he would have easily found his way to us." Mukuro looked at him, and he sighed continuing, "We were not that far away from this place, he would have felt my soul, even from this distance. Then he would have headed for us, if he managed to get past all the demons."

Mukuro smiled, "You respect him don't you?"

He looked at her with the same dour expression on his face he always wore. She however, had an amused smirk, and waited for his answer. He turned away from her, and pointed, "I found Yusuke. This way." He went off and she sighed, following after the stubborn demon.

In only a matter of minutes Hiei and Mukuro had found the group and leaped into a tree to watch them. Hiei peeked down at them from the treetop, Mukuro leering over his shoulder. He could only see Kurama and Yusuke, Kuwabara's parents must have been somewhere else, or maybe Yusuke set them on. Mukuro who sat right up next to next Hiei gazed down at the pair dully commenting, "They look sad don't they?"

Hiei said nothing, but got ready to jump down. He lost his balance however, when Kari, and Kazuma came out from behind a bush, Kuwabara slowly following after them. Mukuro looked at the man, and then to Hiei's stunned face. "That's him isn't it? He's the one-" Hiei did not let her finish, but leapt down, the sound of his feet hitting the grass, causing everyone to look at him.

Kurama's eyes widened, and then a huge smile spread across his face. He ran to Hiei, hugging the warrior, while laughing. Yusuke dashed forward, crying out, "My turn Kurama! Make way!" Yusuke yanked an already angry Hiei up, spun him around and hugged him. Hiei allowed the hugs for now…knowing if he tried to push them off Yusuke would only cling tighter, and then Kurama might start lecturing him of something like that.

"I would hit you," Hiei snarled, "But I..."

"He's in pain from his injury still."

The group turned to Mukuro, who'd landed on the grass a lot quieter than Hiei.

Yusuke set Hiei down and looked at him with a nervous smile. "Oops," he laughed, "Sorry Hiei. How the hell you survive! Not that I doubted you for a minute Hiei…Kurama did th-OW!"

Yusuke rubbed the back of his head after Kurama landed a fierce hit to the back of his head. "We all thought you were dead…" Kurama admitted. Hiei stared at Kurama seeing the bags under his friend's eyes, and the sorrow still lingering faintly in his green eyes. Hiei was touched, though he would never say so or show it. "Well as you can see I'm alive…"

"No thanks to us, right Hiei!?" Yusuke laughed sleeping easily into a loud, long, laugh. Hiei only glared at Yusuke thinking of taking a pop shot for the gut, but turned away when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Kuwabara was standing behind him, looking a little uneasy, and sad. Hiei could tell his arm or shoulder was injured from the war he was holding it. Kuwabara was holding it in a very stiff manner, and not letting it drop fully down to his side, while he favored his left hand, which was the one set heavily on Hiei's shoulder. Kuwabara stared at Hiei for a moment, but turned his eyes away when Hiei tried to look at him in the eyes.

"I…" Kuwabara muttered but then withdrew his hand and made a move like he was going to turn around and leave.

"What?" Hiei put a stop to any further movement and demanded, "Too ashamed to look me in the eye, Kuwabara?"

Instead of hastily disagreeing, Kuwabara instead said, "Yeah...yeah I am."

Silence hung about them all, but Hiei ended it with, "You weren't the one that stabbed me Kuwabara." Hiei turned to the others and continued, "There was someone else in him. Someone called Batto." Yusuke cleared his throat, "Yeah, we know that," he said, "Kuwabara told us last night when he escaped..." Kuwabara looked at Yusuke with a raised brow. Yusuke then added, "well Kuwabara was mostly sleep talking but we got the gist of it. Sorry Kuwabara we didn't really have a choice but to listen in."

Hiei looked at Kuwabara shocked, "You got away?"

Kuwabara laughed, finally looking at Hiei, "Yeah, I don't know how, but I forced Batto out of my body, and just walked out. Everyone still thought I was Batto." Kuwabara smirked, and looked over at Yusuke, "Including my dear idiotic friend over there." Yusuke glared at him, and yelled, "I'M SORRY ABOUT THE ARM ALREADY!"

Hiei raised a brow and pointed at Kuwabara's arm, "So you did something to his arm?"

Yusuke groaned and threw up his arms, "I'M SORRY! God Dammit it's not like I was planning on killing you…well yes I was but I thought…oh…just fuck off!!" Yusuke burst folding his arms and pouting.

Kuwabara laughed, and finally noticed Mukuro. He looked at her, and then smiled, walking over to her. She looked at him, with one eyebrow raised, she wasn't sure what he was going to do, or why he looked so relaxed in her presence. Kuwabara bowed his head in front of her and said, "Thank you for saving Hiei, though he hasn't given us an explanation, I'm sure it was you that did it. So, thank you, I'm sure the others want to thank you too. If he had died...I would never have forgiven myself."

Hiei sighed with annoyance, "Human, it was not you that stabbed me."

Kuwabara sighed looking over at Hiei, "Yeah. It was. I should have been able to do something. To push Batto out. To…to know what Sage was up to!" Mukuro put her hand on Kuwabara's uninjured arm to silence the human. At the contact Kuwabara jumped and turned to look back at her. Mukuro smirked slightly and said, "Kuwabara, from what Hiei has told me, and from my own knowledge of Sage's power, it was not your fault. Sage, believe it or not, is a very difficult opponent for anyone to go against. None of this is your fault, you should harbor no guilt."

Kuwabara nodded feeling humbled in her presence. She released Kuwabara's shoulder smirking at Hiei as if she had managed to outdo him at something. Kuwabara then smiled a sly little grin, and walked over to Hiei, and smacked the shorter demon on the back, "You picked a nice one Hiei, good job!"

Hiei's face went red, and his eyes turned dangerous when he heard Kurama and Yusuke's snickers. Mukuro looked at the group not understanding what Kuwabara said, but she was indeed amused at Hiei's red face.

"Why the fuck did I come here again?" Hiei growled turning his furious gaze on Kuwabara.

However, Kuwabara only smiled looking unafraid and coolly sat down with a sigh, closing his eyes. The group waited for him to make some sort of movement, but he'd gone quite still and the larger group stared at Kuwabara in awe.

"Is he going to sleep?" Mukuro asked, looking startled by his movements. Kari approached her and timidly said, "My son can barely keep his eyes open, he blacks out randomly, side effect from having his soul ripped from his body I suppose."

Mukuro looked at her, and then to Kazuma, studying them with her eyes. She then approached Kuwabara looking at him, and finally said, "Back in my territory, I think I have something that will settle his soul again, put things back to the way they used to be. And if not, I'm sure Yomi has some…and we can force some out of him if we must." Mukuro mused knowing just how stubborn the blind demon could be.

Yusuke smiled, "I think we'd all appreciate that." Yusuke sighed, and knelt down next to his best friend, "Come on Kuwabara, we'll sleep later."

But when Yusuke touched him, he cried out in pain and was propelled backwards, crashing into Kazuma. The older man managed to hook his arms around Yusuke, grunting in pain but was glad he'd managed to stop Yusuke from sailing back any further.

"KAZU!" Kari cried watching as her son rose limply in the air, his body coursing with electricity. His shirt burned away, and all that remained was his bandages and the glowing tattoo that was on his chest.

"Miniera, miniera, miniera, miniera, miniera, miniera, MINIERA!" A voice dripping with venom echoed around the startled group.The group turned around to see Sage wielding his staff, and muttering that word over and over again.

Kuwabara grunted with pain as he was lifted high into the air. His pale blue eyes snapped open, and he managed to gasp, "How...?"

Sage glared at Kuwabara, and ceased his muttering, which caused Kuwabara to drop like a stone, but Kurama caught his friend crashing to the ground with him, but at least managed to lessen the blow.

"So this is the Sage I've heard about," Mukuro commented, looking at him evilly. Sage glanced at her and then glared at the entire group, the air around him swirling to match his anger. "You...You dirty creatures! Kazuma Kuwabara you are such a fool! Did you not think my son's soul would come to me and tell you of your escape?" Sage scoffed, and raised his staff. Yusuke was back on his feet quickly getting away from Kazuma, and Kari was next to her husband.

"You bastard..." Yusuke whispered quickly placing himself in front of Kurama and Kuwabara. "You drag my best friend's parents here, and then drag my friend off, and do...do...WELL WHO GIVES A FUCK WHAT YOU DID! I swear Sage, I'm bringing you down!"

Sage laughed, and waved his hand at him, "What I did! Look what you did boy, I don't recall him having an injured shoulder? Did something happen?" Yusuke's face twisted in anger and shame at Sage's prodding question. A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he saw Kuwabara. Kuwabara smiled at him, the same goofy grin he always had, and Yusuke felt the tension leave his shoulders. Yusuke smirked coolly spitting out, "You're a moron. We're all back together now, and more than ready to kick your ass."

Sage growled, eyes flashing, the wind, which still swirled around him, just went all the faster. "FOOLISH BOY! KUWABARA YOU ARE MINE!"

Kuwabara glared at Sage and called out his spirit sword, as he raised it he screamed back, "NO, I'M NOT!" With a quick slash, Kuwabara brought his sword down, and sliced of the skin that had the tattoo that had caused him so much pain. The group was startled, they had not expected Kuwabara to turn his sword on himself, nor did they see the point of it. Kazuma and Kari both flinched recalling as Kuwabara had stabbed himself before. But Kuwabara knew exactly what he was doing.

The Miniera tattoo was gone.

He let out a pain filled gasp, and dropped to one knee, Kurama and Yusuke steadying him. Sage's face was visibly shocked, and his eyes were wide. Sage hissed and cried out, "Miniera!" But nothing happened and Kuwabara laughed at Sage's shocked face. Instantly the group seemed to understand what Kuwabara had done and the group grinned wide and laughed. Hiei smirked and growled, "Well, well Sage. Looks like this is it for you. Way to go Kuwabara, you're not so useless after all." Kuwabara growled in Hiei's direction, but said nothing, not feeling well enough to get in a fight just that moment.

Sage sighed, "Poor Kuwabara...I really didn't want to have to do this." Sage reached into the neck of his robes, and revealed a black amulet, dangling from a silver string. "Kuwabara, remember your last home, look, I have a new one for you…aren't you excited?" As Sage laughed, Kazuma and Kari hugged their son as if to protect him from the amulet. Kari had torn off her sleeve, and was now desperately trying to tie a bandage around her son's self inflicted injury, while shaking her head and whispering, "No. Not my baby…not again!" Yusuke and Kurama stood in front of Kuwabara; Mukuro and Hiei in front of them. All were prepared to fight for Kuwabara's sake. They didn't know what kind of hell it'd been inside that first jewel but they weren't about to let Kuwabara go into another imprisonment.

Sage glanced at them all, and with a laugh, he boasted, "None of you will be able to defeat me! You're all pathetic. One S-class demon, two humans with no real spirit power except for their awareness, one B-class human whose power is trying to sustain his frail body, and three A-class demons," Sage's eyes slid over to Mukuro, "And one is a woman no less. I have nothing to fear hear." Mukuro's eyes flashed, and Hiei almost laughed.

Hiei shook his head, "You poor fool, you just signed your death certificate."

Sage didn't have time to say anything back to Hiei before Mukuro was on him, beating him as hard as she could. The sight was almost comical, and the group allowed himself to relax. With out warning she was thrown off Sage and was smashed to the ground. She grunted, but it soon turned into a gasp when Sage stabbed his staff through her belly. Hiei let out an angry and surprised roar, and headed for Sage, but he and his staff disappeared as soon as Hiei reached them. Hiei helped Mukuro up, who looked angry rather then in pain. "Where'd that bastard go!?" She demanded through gritted teeth, blood dripping past her lips.

"Over here."

All heads turned to see Sage right next to Kari. The old demon smiled at her, and cooed, "Hey honey." Kuwabara's face grew angry, and he shouted, "GET AWAY FROM MY MOM!" He reached over to punch Sage or grab him around his scrawny throat, but instead found the black amulet pressed to his heart. Almost instantly, his body began to have sharp spasms, and a wind picked up around him. Everyone next to him went flying away from him until they crashed into trees, and Kuwabara knew what was going to happen. "No," He whispered, "No...Not again...NOT AGAIN!" His whispers rose to a violent shout, and orange energy began to rise from his body.

"What the hell is he doing?" Hiei shouted over the wind.

"He's trying to use his energy to blast the amulet off his chest!" Kurama shouted back.

Yusuke was staring at his friend and his thoughts clouded his mind. 'Look at you Kuwabara...just a week ago we were on a beach and you were telling me about strings on my fingers, that only you could see.' Yusuke looked down at his fingers, knowing for sure that there was no yellow string of happiness. He looked back at Kuwabara, his face twisted in agony, 'Kuwabara,' Yusuke thought closing his eyes tight, 'why you? It's not fair, you don't deserve any of this, you didn't do anything to anyone...WHY YOU?' His thoughts turned angry, and Yusuke rose, his eyes glowing.

Kazuma and Kari were the first to notice this and stared at Yusuke, as his whole body seemed to change. Hiei and Kurama turned, and saw him changing too. His hair had grown longer, and the strange patters had appeared on his chest, arms, and face. "Sage is in trouble now," Kurama whispered to himself. Yusuke was in his demon form, and his power had risen higher than it already was. Stalking slowly over to Sage, fighting the wind, he had his mind set on two things.

"Hey Sage, There are two things I'm going to do to ya," Yusuke growled at the pale Sage, "One is break that stupid amulet, and the other is rip off both your arms!" Yusuke's eyes flashed brightly, and electricity seemed to spark around him. He planned to stay true to his word, he was going to save his best friend, and he was going to kill Sage.

Sage smiled secretly to himself, "Perfect..." he whispered, smiling and waiting for Yusuke to reach him.

**End of this chapter!**

Will Yusuke kick Sage's ass? Finally? Will Kuwabara be rescued? Or does Sage have something up his sleeves that will cause the downfall for Yusuke? woot! Climax is comin'!


	16. Episode Sixteen: Cold Death

All right we are now in the climax episode! This is the CLIMAX I've been waiting for and hopefully you've been waiting for!

Fear it!

Oh yes if you want to read an excellent fic with Kuwabara Yusuke-ness, then read Dachi by Osa P. This fic is about Kuwabara encouraging Yusuke to date Keiko, and Keiko taking up all Yusuke and Kuwabara's time together. And stupid Yusuke can't understand why his friend is so depressed, so if you want a great fic, then read that!

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**EPISODE SIXTEEN: COLD DEATH**

As Yusuke marched closer, headed for his best friend, Sage began to fidget impatiently. 'Come on Amulet...come on...' Sage thought hurriedly. If Yusuke reached Kuwabara before the boy could be sucked in the amulet, then all his plans would be ruined. But, Kuwabara was doing very well at resisting the amulet. He struggled against the black wind that kept trying to suck him inside the amulet, determined not to be trapped again.

But Kuwabara's soul was exhausted from all that he'd gone through, and after one last look at Yusuke, Kuwabara knew he just couldn't fight any longer. Kuwabara sunk sadly, he sighed, and to everyone's horror, the amulet one. The air seemed to stretch thin, and a darkness wrapped itself around Kuwabara pulling from the man's body something white and wispy, before dragging it within the amulet. Kuwabara's body fell to the ground, blank eyes open, and staring at those behind him.

Kari screamed, tears pouring down the woman's cheeks, and Kazuma sunk to his knees, head bowed, his whole body trembling.

Hiei's power circled around him, and he too resisted the wind.

Youko Kurama snarled angrily, spitting out, "NO! This...THIS ISN'T FAIR! DAMN YOU SAGE!"

Yusuke stopped dead in his tracks staring at the body of his best friend. He dropped down next to him, eyes wide, and whispered, "Kuwabara?" He reached out to touch him, but then Kuwabara's eyes closed, and when they opened a cold glare met Yusuke. "Hi honey," Kuwabara said with a smile grabbing Yusuke by the wrist and bending his entire arm behind his back.

"Batto my son, hold him right there." Sage ordered, and waved his staff.

In a blast of smoke the group found themselves on a hard rock floor. Looking wearily up, they saw the gates that Kuwabara had once seen. Something about being in the presence of the gates, seeing what Kuwabara had seen weighed heavily on them. Kazuma and Kari were collapsed on the ground, groaning from the negative energy it gave off.

Hiei looked over at Kurama's eyes, and saw no crosses; it was then he realized Kuwabara truly was the only one that could open the gates. He looked back and crawled to Mukuro helping her in a sitting position, hand on her wound. "What does he want with Yusuke?" Hiei asked looking at Mukuro for answers. "I don't know," was all she could say back.

Yusuke growled at the one who found him, and looked back at the face of his best friend. Now that Batto was back inside his body, Yusuke wondered how he ever mistook him for Kuwabara. Batto made Kuwabara's face twist in the most disgusting way. His eyes were crazed, and the wide, twisted, evil smile made Kuwabara's nose scrunch up in an odd manner. "I can't believe I let you fool me," Yusuke hissed admittedly.

Batto laughed, "Well you did," he leaned in and whispered in Yusuke's ear, "Does it bother you detective, knowing that in that amulet, your friend's soul is laying in their suffering? Again? That you failed him…_AGAIN!_" Batto smiled as he felt Yusuke tense up in his hold.

"He's in so much pain," Batto went on, "Don't you just wish you could stop the pain?" Batto jerked Yusuke around so that he could stare at the terrible gates of Purgatory, with the twisted bodies, bones, and flesh making up the bars, of the gates. "Just think, your friend will open those, and the devil himself will cast the most evil spirit he has inside Kuwabara's body, why he takes your friend's soul for himself, to use as he likes. Kuwabara will be the devil's personal toilet!" Batto continued whispering not masking the glee in his voice.

"Your friend's body will help the devil open all the gates, and release all the evil, and destroy everyone in it's path, and create a new world, a better world!" Batto lowered his voice a little more, "All the while your friend's soul will be tortured, be raped, be persecuted, suffer beyond all imaginings, all the while remaining the purest of soul's you could ever find. Face it Yusuke, Kuwabara's doomed…he'll Hell's personal bitch."

That was all it took for Yusuke to burst, "I WON'T LET YOU DO THAT TO KUWABARA!" Yusuke threw Batto off him, who landed next to the black amulet, eyes wide with shock. Yusuke looked down at him, his entire body glowing, "I'll kill you before I let you do that to my best friend, I will kill you all..." Yusuke's long hair flew in the wind, as he looked over at Sage, who smiled oddly at him. "Do you hear me Sage?" Yusuke asked with a snarl, "I will kill you all before I let you do anything to Kuwabara..."

"Allow me to assist you Yusuke," Youko Kurama said, suddenly next to Yusuke.

"I am not Kuwabara's friend," Hiei coldly stated, appearing on the other side of Yusuke, "But I don't feel like dying just yet."

Sage laughed, and helped his son up, and the proceeded in picking up the amulet. "Come on, do you think you can stop me, the gate is so close to opening, all it needs is for Kuwabara to cut through the gate!" Sage smiled at his son, who nodded, and called forth Kuwabara's sword. Batto headed for the gate when Kurama and Hiei jumped in front of him.

"Batto, remember me?" Hiei asked smiling at his possessed comrade. "Kuwabara's" face twisted into a smug smile, "Oh...I do think I remember your body spiraling lifelessly off a cliff..."

Youko growled, bringing out his whip, "I pity you Batto," Youko Kurama whispered eyes flashing, "Because I remember that too."

Sage and Yusuke stood face to face, looking at one another. "I'm going to kill you, you know." Yusuke whispered, raising a glowing finger. Sage held up the amulet, "To get this? Well then," Sage's face twisted in a smile, "Come and get me Spirit detective, I dare you."

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Inside the amulet, Kuwabara's body floated in the dark abyss. He was cut and scratched, his hair tousled and a tangled mess. His eyes were closed in a not so peaceful manner, and teardrops, sparkling like diamonds floated in the darkness around him. His pale blue eyes opened, and he was aware of the sounds around him. He could hear his friends fighting off somewhere. He turned around, floating in the darkness, and called out, "MOM? DAD? MISS MUKURO? KURAMA? HIEI? URAMESHI!" As he spun calling for his friends, he found himself looking at one of the tears. He touched his face finding nothing there, "These tears...they aren't mine..." Kuwabara muttered and reached out touching one.

Suddenly there was a white flash, and he saw his sister sitting in his room, hugging his pillow. "Kazu," she was sobbing, "Kazu please, please don't be gone...I don't want to be alone! Please come back Kazuma…"

Kuwabara shook as he withdrew his hand. Turning around he reached out and touched another tear, and saw Yukina. She was sitting alone in her room, stroking Eckiji. "Kazuma-kun," She sniffed her small hands daintily rubbing her eyes, tear gems hitting the floor. "Please be safe. Please come back to us, please come back to me..."

Kuwabara touched another one. He saw Genkai standing in front of her shrine, her old face looking older. Her face was dry, but she looked miserable. "Kuwabara...I told you, you had a kind heart...to think that some monster would take you from us...there are too few like you. Yusuke bring Kuwabara home to us..."

He touched another one.

Koenma was in his office, quietly sitting at his desk. He was looking at a stack of papers on the other side of the room that reached the ceiling, but he turned away and looked at a single piece of paper on his desk. The paper read, "Confirmed Death Of Kazuma Kuwabara." It was waiting for Koenma to stamp it, but Koenma made no move for it.

He touched another one.

Boeton was hugging her oar, eyes closed, as tears washed her face. George appeared next to her, and asked in a tiny voice, "Boeton, shouldn't you look for...Kuwabara's spirit?" Boeton nodded, biting back her lip, "But I don't think I can...because then I'd have to admit he was really gone."

He touched another one.

Keiko was cleaning her parents shop, and paused to look out the shop's window. She looked sad, and turned quickly away from the window silently going about her business, with a bitter look on her face.

He touched another one.

Hiei was standing before two dead demons, his face twisted into several emotions at once. He was looking towards the mountains, and muttered to himself, "He's dead..."

He touched another one.

Kurama was crying on the grass and whispering, "How could I wish for my friend's death, like that's going to make it better! Kuwabara I'm sorry!" Kurama sobbed, closing his eyes miserably.

He touched another one.

Yusuke Urameshi, Kuwabara's best friend, was leaned against the back of Genkai's wall shouting that his friend could not be dead. That Kuwabara could not die and leave him alone, that Kuwabara had survived too much to be gone. But the look on his face was clearly becoming twisted with more, and more pain.

Kuwabara dropped his hand, and looked at the darkness around him.

"I remember," he whispered, "I remember what it was like before this, I remember what it was like to be able to smile...I remember everything me and my friends went through...I remember it all! I remember!" Kuwabara closed his eyes, "And I don't want our happiness to be just a memory anymore!" His body glowed and the darkness began to fade away. Kuwabara had had enough. He was tired of drowning in memories of sadness and pain. It was time to end the pain, and get back to when things were good.

Meanwhile, Kurama and Hiei fell to the ground, grunting after a brutal attack from Batto. He laughed, and licked blood off his hand. "Mmm, blood tastes so much better when it's your enemies'!" Kurama and Hiei growled glancing around to see how Yusuke was fairing.

Yusuke and Sage had been dodging, and firing useless attacks at each other. Sage and Yusuke were equally matched, and it didn't help that Sage would hold up the amulet if Yusuke had an actual chance of hitting him. Sage suddenly paused, and turned to look at the amulet, which was slowly turning white. 'Ah,' Sage thought with a smile, 'Kuwabara is finally ready, now there is just one last thing to do...'

Sage turned to Yusuke and held up the white amulet, "Your friend is ready now, he is at his full potential of power, there's just one last thing I need to do. Sorry boy it's been fun, but I've got to keep a schedule. I'm through playing games."

Before Yusuke had any time to take his eyes off the white amulet, Sage thrust his staff through Yusuke's heart.

Yusuke's eyes went wide, and his body became slack. His world turned black, and with a quick jerk, the staff was removed, and he fell backwards, Sage smiling at the dead boy. Yusuke's chest sunk, never to rise again. Yusuke's body slid on the rock staying perfectly still. He was dead.

Just like that.

Sage dropped the amulet next to Yusuke, knowing Kuwabara could see what he'd done, and see Yusuke's dead eyes upon him.

"And now everything is as it should," Sage whispered knowing all that was left, was to wait.

Kazuma, and Kari turned away from the sight of Yusuke's body, Kari sobbing "Oh no...oh no!" Kazuma stared at the boy, a guilty look crossing his face, and he looked up the ceiling of the cave, searching for God in the stone.

Mukuro's eyes were wide, and she looked at Yusuke's dead body in shock, for some reason, him being dead did not connect with her. He had been the young man who entered demon world and without looking back, without remorse changed the world. Completely flipped demon world up on its ears and laughed as he waited for the confused inhabitants to catch up. But there Yusuke was lying still on the stone floor, blood pooling all around him, his chest sunken in, and blank eyes open in surprise.

Hiei and Kurama had turned around at the sound of a body landing on the ground. The two stayed on the ground, their bodies shaking in shock. Just like that they felt Yusuke's life snuff out, and that was it...it was just like before. He was dead, and gone. Batto stood laughing over them, and smiled as he father stood in front of the gates of Purgatory watching the amulet, waiting for something to happen.

_And then the amulet cracked…_

Keiko suddenly dropped the broom that had been in her hands, and stared outside her family's shop window. "Yusuke...?" She whispered, a feeling of unknown dread welling inside her. An all too familiar feeling of that nameless dread…

_The crack started at the base…_

Genkai's hands came to her heart, and she doubled over as if in great pain, "Oh God," she whispered in shock, eyes wide. "Yusuke...are you...has he?" Yukina came from out of the house and rushed to her side, eyes filled with concern, "Genkai-san! Are you alright?" Genkai let the young girl place her hands on her shoulders, and she looked at her, "Something terrible has happened."

_It spread up in a curve like motion…_

Shizuru sat up straighter, and turned around to look out her brother's window. "Oh no...Yusuke."

_Speeding towards the center of the jewel…_

Boeton came rushing down the hall to Koenma, tears flying off her face. "KOENMA! KOENMA!" Koenma's doors opened, and he let the blue haired woman rush to his arms. He had a look of shock and misery on his face.

"Yusuke, he's...YUSUKE'S-" Koenma silenced her by crushing her in a hug, "I know..." Koenma whispered closing his eyes, "I know."

_The jewel made a violent shaking movement…_

Kuwabara sat inside the amulet; he had seen everything, felt everything. Yusuke was dead. And this time he knew that for sure. It was empty…just as empty as it had been when Yusuke was hit by that car…when Kuwabara had shown up to Yusuke's wake and seen the coffin. But this time is was worse…this time, Yusuke wouldn't be able to come back...

_It shuddered as if it was taking a breath…_

Kuwabara felt all the pain he'd endured, all the suffering, and agony Sage had caused him, be drowned out by this new pain he felt as he thought of his best friend laying out side the amulet dead. Yusuke was in his head smiling at him, daring him to come at him for a fight. "Why...Why is it me that has to be the one that opens the gates of Purgatory, why is it me that must be the cause of everyone's sufferings?" Kuwabara asked as tears dripped speedily down his face. "WHY DOES IT ALL HAVE TO BE MY FAULT?" Kuwabara screamed as he felt something posses him. He was aware that the light around him seemed to be cracking, and as Kuwabara looked hatefully at the light he screamed, "I WISH I'D NEVER BEEN BORN! I WISH I NEVER EXISTED!"

_The amulet swished violently back and forth in Sage's hands…and then…_

Sage smiled imagining what Kuwabara was going through. Kuwabara had lost his parents, and now just as he gained them, he'd lost his best friend, and would lose so much more. His eyes darted over to the cracking amulet, and he whispered, "Just a moment longer."

**The amulet shattered.**

The amulet shattered into many pieces and something dark burst from the shards. What rose from it caused everyone but Batto, and Sage to gasp and their eyes to widen. The image was so familiar, so painfully recognizable, but as the same time it could not be whom this image looked like. It just couldn't be!

Kuwabara's image had risen from the amulet, but this image was monstrous, this image was Kuwabara, and yet it wasn't. The image was dark and glowed brightly of red, orange, yellow, white, and black. The eyes were bright red, and dripped black tears, that burned the ground, creating sharp hissing sounds. Wings, twisted and mangled were hanging limply from Kuwabara's back, and feathers fell in dripping movements off the ghostly figure. This twisted angry spirit was no doubt Kuwabara, but it struck terror in all that saw him...And so Kuwabara rose a twisted broken angel. A hell's angel, and he rose to save Yusuke, he rose to save Hiei, he rose to save Kurama...he rose to save them all...and the cost was his own soul. Anything...for his friends.

But from the looks of him…it looked as if "saving," was the last thing on this angry spirit's mind.

Kazuma held his wife, and was not ashamed at the tears that washed his face, as he stared at his son. "God," he whispered, "I have never questioned you, never doubted you, so there must be some reason for this...but why? Why my son? God why must this happen to him? I am his father, if anyone should suffer it should be me, please God help us. I beg of you…"

And so Kazuma waited for God to answer his prayers, hoping and praying that as he watched the events unfold…things would turn out right in the end. They were the good guys, things had to turn out right in the end. Things **had** to fall in their favor, things couldn't go as Sage planned…the villains couldn't win…

Kuwabara stared at the body of his friend, and the deformed spirit let out a roar that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. His hands that now looked like claws, ripped the wings off his back in one movement, and shoved them in Yusuke's lifeless body. As soon as the glowing orange wings fell into Yusuke's body the spirit instantly weakened. The spirit was now collapsed on the ground, and Yusuke's body was slowly beginning to glow. In a sloppy motion, Kuwabara's head turned to Batto, and accelerated forward, crashing through the body, and forcing Batto out of his body. Batto's soul screamed as it was destroyed, and faded away.

Kuwabara turned, his eyes open, the crosses in his eyes seeming to glow. He called forth his sword, and turned to Sage rushing forward. In one slash he'd killed Sage, but that was what the crafty old demon had wanted. The blast not only cut through Sage, but through the gates of Purgatory.

Kuwabara had opened the gates.

**End of this chapter**

ZOMG! CLIMAX

Well now, we are at the climax and the worst possible thing that could happen has happened. The gates have opened, and all hell will break lose. What was the purpose of Kuwabara ripping his spiritual wings off and putting them in Yusuke, and how will they close the gates? All in the next episode see ya then.


	17. Episode Seventeen: All Hell Breaks Lose

okay next episode time oh and it's the new revised version! HYAH! _Ninja kick!_

on with the show!

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**EPISODE SEVENTEEN: ALL HELL BREAKS LOSE**

It was the winds spewing from the mouth of the open gates that brought Kuwabara back to his sense and to face reality. As Kuwabara stared at the gates before him, he felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"After all this...after all this he won?" Kuwabara collapsed on his knees, the gates slowly opening. Wind sped for the gates, pushing, and pulling things inside, or throwing things away violently. Sage's body flew in, and turned to dust before it even reached the gates. This has been the small demon's plan the entire time. After all one bent on destruction and death really couldn't expected to be able to survive, now could they?

"KAZU! KAZUMA, MY SON!" Kari cried, fighting against the winds that tried to suck her in. Kazuma held his wife, and called for his son who shared his name.

"Kuwabara! Kuwabara!!"

"Get back! Kuwabara! Get back!!"

"Run away! Run away! Get back here!"

Everyone was screaming for Kuwabara, but it was a soft voice that finally got his attention.

"Ku…wabara?"

Kuwabara turned and saw his best friend was sitting up, with a bewildered look on his face.

Around him, everyone bore shocked expressions, but none could be more puzzled then Yusuke's. "Wasn't I...?" Yusuke whispered, and then turned to look at his friends.

"It's a miracle..." Kurama whispered, standing next to Kazuma and Kari, who looked just as stunned. Mukuro who was leaning heavily against Hiei looked over at Kuwabara who was staring completely fixated on Yusuke. "Did he revive Yusuke?" Mukuro asked, pressing her hand harder to her injury, "Did Kuwabara bring him back?" Hiei looked at her unable to give her an answer.

"What does it matter now?" The shortest Rekai finally said, "Sage has won. Hell is opening."

Kuwabara, unknown to the group, could hear every word they all said. He, himself, did not know how his best friend was now sitting up. Hadn't he died? How had Yusuke been revived…Kuwabara touched his head, and thought miserably, 'All I remember was Urameshi died and then...then I got angry...' Kuwabara's thoughts trailed off when he felt something touch his shoulder very gently.

Before Kuwabara could figure out what the gentle touch was, Yusuke was calling to him, as he struggled to his feet stumbling forward just a little. "KUWABARA! GET BACK HERE! WE HAVE TO LEAVE! DEMONS WILL BE COMING THROUGH ANY MOMENT! KUWABARA!"

The soft feeling on Kuwabara's shoulder made him tear his eyes away from Yusuke, and he turned to look at whatever was touching him.

Then all went white.

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Koenma watched with a grim face as his ogres ran back and forth, crying out frantically to one another. Boeton rushed to Koenma's side, and whispered, "Lord Koenma sir! You must escape your father has just sent the message that somehow the gates of Purgatory have been broken! The demons will come for you first!" Koenma looked at the pink-eyed girl, and turned to her making the young woman release him.

"Boeton, thank you for staying by my side," Koenma said with a calm voice, and a relaxed smile, "but I won't leave. This gate matter is all tied to Kuwabara, and the others. I've let them down...I couldn't help them, I didn't even have the decency of telling Kuwabara and Shizuru what happened to their parents." Koenma smiled at her teary face, "I won't leave."

"NO! KOENMA PLE-"

Koenma placed his hand on Boeton's lips, and smiled, "Just go Boeton. Tell my father what I have just said to you." Boeton shook her head frantically, "No, sir! No I won't! I can't!" Koenma looked sternly at her, and grabbed her by her shoulders, "This is an order, and my Father must be alerted so that he can try and fix things, I'm not leaving Boeton, and I won't let you stay here in harm's way."

The young woman began to sob, and Koenma sighed, "Please Boeton, you must go." She nodded, not looking at him, and whispered, "Koenma...if...if I give him the message and he lets me leave, do I have permission to come back?"

Koenma looked at her startled, "What?"

Her pink eyes met his brown, "Please," she begged, "I want to be by your side. I want to stand at your side, no matter what happens, I want to be at your side." Boeton looked at him with her wet face and Koenma sighed nodding giving her his consent.

Bowing deeply, she turned to leave, but he caught her hand. Her face went red and she looked at him in surprise. "Here," he said with a smile, and placed his pacifier in her palm. She looked at him, gave him a weak smile, and rushed off, taking off in the sky and headed for Yenma.

Koenma turned to all the ogres, and shouted, "ALL OF YOU! LISTEN TO ME!" At once, there was silence, and all eyes upon him. "Go home," Koenma said looking at them all sternly, "Go home, and try to get as far away from here as you can." Whispers filled the air, and Koenma narrowed his eyes, "I SAID GO!" The ogres jumped, looked at each others and bowed towards Koenma, for what they all felt would be the last time.

As the entire group of ogres began to leave, Koenma turned around and walked towards his room, where his desk, and paper work lay. He approached his desk, and looked at the lone paper that had been on his desk for over a week now. He glanced at the other piles of paperwork and with one sweeping arm through all the paper to the floor. It's not as if he had timed to do it now…but there was one thing he wanted to get down. One last piece of paperwork he wanted to get done.

He sighed, the emptiness around him pressing against his shoulders. He pulled out a pen and filled in the name, "Kazuma Kuwabara." Under the phrase, 'Name Of Deceased,' and proceeded to fill in the blanks as he went down the paper.

**Age At Time Of Death:**

17

**Details of Death:**

Murdered by a demon Sage. Further details unknown.

**Description Of Deceased:**

Orange hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. Always tried to do the right thing with a goofy grin on his face. A very loyal friend.

**Family Left Behind:**

Shizuru Kuwabara, (Koenma paused for a moment and then added,) Eckiji.

**Death A Surprise, Or Death On Assigned Day:**

A surprise, and huge mistake.

**Place Reserved:**

Heaven.

Now at the bottom of his page, was just a place for him to stamp. He looked down at it, and sighed. He looked at a stack of papers on the other side of the room that he'd knocked all over the floor, but he turned away and looked back at the single piece of paper on his desk. The paper taunted him with the title of, "Confirmed Death Of Kazuma Kuwabara."

He glared at it, when he heard the creaking of the door. He looked up in surprise, and gasped, "George!" There in the doorway, stood George, the loyal blue ogre. He strode over to Koenma, and took his place at his side. Looking at the teen aged form of his lord, he smiled, "Shall we wait for them to come then sir?"

Koenma looked up at him, and smiled, "You want to wait for the demons with me? Why don't you leave?"

George smiled, and shrugged, "Because I feel no need to sir. I'm sticking with you, even if it's a dumb move on my part, sir." Koenma sighed, shook his head, and leaned back in his chair. He looked at the paper on his desk, and picked up the stamper.

There was a tiny thud sound as Koenma stamped the paper.

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Kuwabara blinked rapidly at what he saw as soon as the white died away. It was a boy…no it was himself when he was younger…or at least it looked like him. Only difference was, Kuwabara didn't glow white when he was young.

"Listen to me," the figure said in the most soothing voice Kuwabara had ever heard, "Only you can see me, and my time with you is very limited. Since the time everyone is born, someone is sent to watch them, and I have been watching you." The small boy smiled, "You are very special, no matter what anyone else says, and it is up to you to stop those gates from opening and stating Armageddon. To stop these gates you must leap inside hell, of your own free will."

Kuwabara gasped, and cried, "What? Why would I do that?!"

The glowing boy was suddenly eye level with Kuwabara and touched Kuwabara's face gently, "You must join with the gates of Purgatory, and become a new bar of the gates. That will close the gates."

Kuwabara stared at the small figure, and rose to his full height feeling a power wash over his body. A power all his own, a power that flowed from his will. "I...I am afraid," Kuwabara admitted. The small glowing child stuck his hand in Kuwabara's, "I will be here with you. I am always at your side. And I will always remain with you even as you suffer…"

Kuwabara looked down at the tiny boy, "So…you're like my guardian angel…this is really it then huh?"

The boy smiled sadly at Kuwabara and disappeared, and with him, the white light faded away.

Shaking his head, he saw his friends were in battle with demons that had started squeezing their way through the slowly opening gate. Kuwabara looked at his friends watching as they fought for their lives.

Kurama was slammed into the cave wall and blood burst from his mouth. Hiei growled loudly as a crooked blade stabbed him in the hip. Mukuro was behind him, speedily going from demon to demon, receiving many more injuries from this task. Kuwabara couldn't even see his parents anymore...finally his eyes fell on his newly revived best friend.

Yusuke punched another demon, sending him crashing to the ground, and his head immediately jerked up at the sound of his name being called.

"Yusuke."

He turned to stare at Kuwabara, and let his arms drop to his side.

The pair stared at each other, and they both remembered the countless times they had stood staring at each other just like this. This time it seemed different. They were both ragged, and tired. Both smelly, dirty, needing a bath, both injured, and miserable. And both had grown older from this ordeal. Kuwabara smiled at Yusuke who smiled back, and it was as if everything seemed okay.

As if the world was right and this whole ordeal was already behind them.

"You came to save me..." Kuwabara said smiling at his best friend.

"Of course I did dumbass I wouldn't just leave you! You're my best friend! Do you know how hard it would be to go find some new stupid oaf, have to break their face in over and over, and then get attached to them? That would eat up all my time and patience." Yusuke snorted, trying not to get lost in the strange crosses in Kuwabara's eyes…trying to keep the conversation normal and avoid the fact that the world had fallen into chaos around them.

"I'll never forget that, I'll remember that for as long as I can," Kuwabara continued walking backwards.

"Kuwabara..." Yusuke gasped as he saw his friend back up towards the gates.

"Good-bye."

"KUWABARA WAIT!"

Yusuke rushed forward as Kuwabara leapt backwards into the portal that led to the gates. His smiling face was the last thing he saw, when a demon tackled him. By the time Yusuke killed the demon, the portal was closed, and all the other demons that had been coming out from the gates lay dead around him and his friends. He stood up, and looked back at his friends, who wore the same face as him. Yusuke walked towards where the portal had been, and touched the wall.

Kuwabara was gone.

Yusuke couldn't understand how it happened. He hadn't seen Kuwabara do it but Yusuke knew Kuwabara had thrown himself in hell, and the portal had closed, and the gates had gone.

But even though those were the facts Yusuke couldn't piece the events together. Couldn't get everything in order…how did the gates close? Why did Kuwabara go? What stopped the gates? There were so many questions, but no times for answers…because there was still the biggest problem and that was the fact Kuwabara was gone. He was gone!!

"We came all this way...we went through so much..." Yusuke whispered, his entire body shaking, "WE WENT THROUGH SO FUCKING MUCH! KUWABARA! KUWABARA!" Yusuke punched the cave wall, shattering a large portion of it. All eyes were on Yusuke and staring at the wall that had swallowed up their friend in disbelief.

So this was how it was all to end?

The world was safe; the gates had vanished without a trace but at the cost of Kazuma Kuwabara? The person that everyone had come to rescue, had risked their lives for on this spirit breaking adventure…was gone? Where was the justice? How could this be happening…

Yusuke screamed angrily and fell sobbing on the cavern floor, crying out the name of his best friend. "KUWABARA! NO! IT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR! WE CAME TO GET YOU! WE CAME TO SAVE YOU! I CAME TO SAVE YOU! THIS ISN'T HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" Yusuke continued slamming his fists on the ground cracking the cavern floor and causing the cave to tremble at the might of Yusuke's despair, "I WAS SUPPOSED TO COME HERE AT THE READY AND SAVE YOU! I PROMISED TO NEVER LET SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO YOU…AND…GOD DAMMIT KUWABARA! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU GO OUT LIKE THIS! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DIE A CRAZY OLD MAN NOT…YOU'RE NOT…" Yusuke's voice died down and his sobs echoed in the cave, "You're not supposed to die like this…come on…this isn't right…Kuwabara…"

Yusuke's eyes flitted up to the cavern wall where the gates had once been, where his friend had been and he dropped his head in defeat letting out one final, frail, bitter cry.

"Kuwabara...Kuwabara..."

**End of this chapter.**

OKAY! NO PREVIEW FOR NEXT EPISODE! You just hafta read it


	18. Episode Eighteen: The Question Why

sorry this has all taken so long, but I just moved, and I have no internet access, but I do have a best friend. Everyone thank Osa-P and read her story Dachi! The best KuwabaraXYusuke story ever! It's such a clever idea, and I've been pressuring her for a year to get it out. It was as good as I hoped.

Well carry on! Enjoy the new revised picture

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**EPISODE EIGHTEEN: THE QUESTION WHY**

Yusuke sat still, eyes vacantly glued to the wall in front of him. They'd come so far, only to fail now. His friend's laughter, his goofy antics, his corny noble speeches, swam in his head. Yusuke had been alone most of his life, with only Keiko as a friend. But being friends with a girl can only go so far, Keiko didn't like to talk about fighting, or new arcade games, and besides Keiko was more than a friend now. When he and Kuwabara became friends, Yusuke finally had another guy he could talk to, another person he could hang out with. But now...Kuwabara was gone.

"Yusuke..." Kurama whispered approaching his friend cautiously.

"We failed Kurama," Yusuke croaked, "sure Batto and Sage are dead, and sure the world is safe, but what about Kuwabara? What about him? He's the one that saved us all...he's supposed to be here Kurama...Years ago he said I was supposed to be there for him, and then a year later he begged me not to die saying if I was gone he wouldn't know who he should be, but didn't he get it, what he said about me, applies to him too? He's supposed to live out his life with me...he's supposed to be at my side at my own damn wedding...HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!"

Yusuke began to pound the wall in front of him, blood pouring from his cracking hands, "YOU DIRTY BASTARD! YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE AND LEAVE ME ALL ALONE! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! YOU CAN'T BE DEAD! KUWABARA! KUWABARA YOU SWORE YOU WOULDN'T DIE UNTIL YOU BEAT ME, AND YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT SO YOU CAN'T BE DEAD NOW! KUWABARA, ANSWER ME GOD DAMMIT!"

Yusuke let his bloody hands drop limply next to him, and he began to sob sadly. "Kuwabara...why you? You...You deserve a medal for all the things you've done, not a seat in hell!" As he let his head sag as he sobbed thinking nothing could be any worse then as it was now…Mukuro's voice suddenly broke through asking, "Where are Kuwabara's parents?"

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Kuwabara opened his eyes, staring around him. The place he was in was so terrifying, so vile, it could not be described in any language. There were no words powerful enough to cover the terror, the pain, and the deep sorrow he was feeling as he drifted closer to the gates. "I'm going to become bar of the gates of Purgatory...this is really it...This is really where my life ends," Kuwabara whispered miserably.

Sooner than he hoped he was directly in front of the gates, and he stood wide eyed, staring at the gates made of people, flesh, bone, blood, fire, thorns, glass, made out of everything and anything painful, and horrifying. Kuwabara looked down at himself, and realized his clothes had burned away. He sighed, "I won't be needing those anyway." He looked out at the gates, sighing, "There was really no way for me to win was there?" Kuwabara sighed, and touched his face. It was wet from tears.

"I hadn't realized how miserable I was until now...and how happy I had been when I was with my parents...even for that brief moment," Kuwabara sighed a little sadly.

His hand reached out to touch the gates, remembering what the child that resembled him had said for him to do. Before he could touch the gates, two hands found themselves on his back. He turned, and gasped at two people he saw.

"Mom...Dad! What...what are you doing-"

Kazuma interrupt his son with a hug, and pat his head lovingly. Kari embraced her son, and smiled at her taller child. "Kazu...we are sure the devil would appreciate two pure new souls, instead of one," Kari said with a heartbreakingly sweet smile. Kuwabara's eyes went wide and a tight rasping strangled sound escaped his throat. His parent just kept smiling at him as if nothing was wrong, as if they weren't suggesting…

Kuwabara shook his head, "NO!" He cried, "NO! MOM! DAD! YOU CANT! YOU CAN'T!"

Kazuma pat his son's face, "Yes we can, look...I'm sure the devil himself is listening right now, and I am sure he will take us instead of just you...it is a better deal."

Kuwabara shook his head frantically, his mind reeling. His parents really couldn't be suggesting what he thought they were suggesting, could they?

"We followed you in here, we saw the angel you talked with," Kari told him, "In the angel's own quiet way, it was letting us know we could take your place." Kari kissed her son's hand, "We are so proud of you, and always will be, we love you so much. Tell Shizuru we always thought of her, and love her so much." Kazuma kissed his son's brow, "I'm sure you can do that for us my son," he whispered, as Kuwabara began to shake his head harder. Kuwabara was crying and shaking. Kuwabara had resolved himself up to die, he was prepared to die…to live life without his friends…without his family…Tears poured down his face in a continuous stream and Kuwabara found he could not find any intelligent thing to say back to his parents to convince them to not take his place.

"Mom…Dad…" Kuwabara finally croaked looking into the smiling faces of his loving parents.

Kuwabara could feel something tearing him away from them; he was being dragged away from the gates, being dragged back toward a tiny white orb.

"No! NO! I JUST GOT YOU BACK! YOU JUST GOT YOUR FREEDOM, YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I…I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN! AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF SEPERATION…MOM! DAD! NO! NO! STOP!" Kuwabara wasn't even sure what he was protesting anymore. He felt like a child throwing a tantrum, but right now he felt like he had no choice. That there was no other alternative…

Kazuma and Kari watched as Kuwabara tried to fight against a million multi-colored hands that dragged their son back. "No parent should ever outlive their child," Kazuma whispered, taking his wife's hand. "We love you!" Kari whispered tears splashing down her cheeks.

Kuwabara screamed as he watched his parents turn, and grab the bars. He didn't know what happened next for the hands grabbed him fully, and he was spun into a million colors, and felt a million needles stab through his flesh, then there was nothing but the darkness that was followed by those spinning colors.

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Hiei, Mukuro, Kurama, and Yusuke stood apart from one another, a heavy silence in the air. Yusuke had stopped crying long ago, but he remained seated in front of the wall where Kuwabara had vanished, his hands still bleeding freely from their assault on the cavern wall. The stone before him was cracked, and stained with freckles of blood. Kurama, Hiei, and Mukuro looked at their miserable friend, and Kurama sighed calling out, "Yusuke lets go home."

Everyone looked at Kurama, and then back at Yusuke who sighed, "Yeah...but first lets look for Kuwabara's parents...they probably got blown outside by the strong winds."

Yusuke's friends nodded a bit nervously, feeling uneasy about Yusuke's calm stature, and simple acceptance about going home. Yusuke wasn't the only one unnaturally calm; it was as if this calm had settled over everyone. They had tried so hard to save Kuwabara, only to have Kuwabara escape, and then watch as he sacrificed himself for a world that would never know what he'd done. They were so tired…and they had all tried so hard, but they had failed. And now there was nothing left to do but go home. The gates had completely vanished, and the small group knew there was no way Koenma, or anyone would open the gates just to rescue one man…even if they wanted to.

Yusuke sighed brown eyes staring dimly at the wall before him, "I'm sorry man…Kuwabara…I'm so…so sorry. I really tried to save you. God dammit…" Yusuke sighed and felt a heavy tension flow away from him as he let go of something…something important to him. Maybe it was his resolve, maybe it was his belief that he could do anything, maybe it was that promise he had made to protect his friends, whatever it was…Yusuke let it go along with Kuwabara. Yusuke rose still staring at the wall and placed a bloody hand on the cold stone. Yusuke thought of apologizing again, but what would it matter? Kuwabara wouldn't hear him. Finally turning Yusuke met Kurama, Hiei, and Mukuro's gaze. They seemed to sink a little when they met his eyes and saw the loss there.

Yusuke went to walk towards his friends when a bright light flashed from behind him, causing him to turn. Kurama, Hiei, and Mukuro dashed to Yusuke staring as millions, and millions of hands delivered the unconscious form of the man they had come all this way to rescue.

Kuwabara was completely limp, nude, and his whole body was chapped red. No one said a word at the sight of the twisting ever-changing hands that passed Kuwabara through a portal and towards the cavern floor. The hands laid Kuwabara down on the ground; his eyes were still closed as if in sleep...or death. The hands disappeared slowly retreating back to the wall and dragging themselves away from Kuwabara. The wall closed up, leaving a naked Kuwabara, with his back turned towards his friends.

There was a long shocked silence before Hiei removed his cloak, and approached the nude man in long wide strides. Hiei approached Kuwabara covering his lower waist with his cloak while whispering, "Hey...Kuwabara…Kuwabara?" Kuwabara didn't respond so Hiei pulled Kuwabara in his arms, and tensed up when Kuwabara's eyes snapped open. The crosses focused on Hiei's face, and Kuwabara let out a low moan, as tears dripped down his face.

"Kuwabara...Kuwabara do you hear me?" Hiei whispered, as Kuwabara began to fidget in his arms, and thrash his head left and right, all the while hissing in pain from his burning body. "Kuwabara...Kuwabara..." Hiei whispered trying to hold the human as gently as he could, "Kazuma..." Hiei whispered softly as delirious blue orbs turned to look at him, "I owe you money...you were right...okay? Do you remember what you wrote…I owe you money…I was wrong and you were right about something…say something stupid Kuwabara…" Hiei insisted trying to get a response from Kuwabara.

Kuwabara did not respond to Hiei's words, just kept groaning and hissing in pain, obviously confused by his surroundings.

A spell that had kept Yusuke back, broke and he ran towards Hiei and Kuwabara. Kurama, and Mukuro had been right behind him and the two stared down at Kuwabara in blatant disbelief. Yusuke took his best friend, and Kuwabara moaned in pain from the further contact of his skin. The confused man had been in enough pain with Hiei holding him and wrapping up the cloak around his waist, but Yusuke's grip was hard. "It hurts…" Kuwabara moaned and Yusuke loosened his grip.

"You're real…" Yusuke whispered, "How...How can this be...you were gone...look at you...you're all red..." Yusuke sniffed, his voice sounding far different then it ever had before. Kuwabara's glazed over eyes looked up at his best friend, and he croaked, "My parents took my place…Why? Why…did no one stop them? Let go…let go it hurts…"

A shocked silence filled the air, and Yusuke looked away from his friend. He scooped Kuwabara up, adjusting the cloak around Kuwabara's privates better, and held his ailing friend close. "Come on...we're leaving."

Yusuke left the cave, not looking back once, holding the moaning boy in his arms. Kuwabara looked to his right, and saw the small angelic child from before, and watched as the odd spirit removed the black strings of death off all his fingers, but one. Kuwabara's right index finger still held the black string of death. The angel was gone, and Kuwabara looked at his hands. The black tattoos were gone, no longer visible, but Kuwabara could still see the black string that had been left on his finger. Kuwabara let out one last groan before closing his eyes, and going slack in Yusuke's arms. Yusuke glanced down at Kuwabara wondering what the delusional man was thinking, wondered if Kuwabara really understood.

Yusuke hoped Kuwabara understood, someone should…

Kurama, and Hiei boarded one of the flying beasts, while Yusuke carried Kuwabara to the other, and took his place behind him. Mukuro decided to stay behind, and free the slaves that Sage had collected, and destroy the cave where the portal had been opened. Even though the gates were no longer there, there was the possibility it could come back, so destroying the cavern so no other demon would accidentally stumble upon the gates and get the same idea Sage had.

"Hiei, I expect to see you back again." Mukuro said the tiniest of smiles flashing on her face. She was stunned when a bandaged hand came to her cheek, and he just looked at her. Hiei smirked at her stunned expression before turning away.

The four took off in the air, and silence hung about the group as they flew on. Kuwabara woke at one point, but said nothing. He stayed curled limply against Yusuke's chest, eyes barely open, and not looking at anything or anyone. He seemed to be nothing more than a life size doll of the man he used to be, the only difference was a few more scars, and chapped skin.

He didn't acknowledge anything when they landed on the ground. Or when Yusuke carried him up the steps of Genkai's shrine. Or when everyone ran to meet him, crying out his name. Or when his sister hugged him, while he was still in his best friend's arms. He didn't even notice the week that went bye as he lay recovering in one of Genkai's rooms. He didn't seem to be aware of anything until his body was completely healed after two weeks of rest.

He dressed in clothes his sister brought over, and left the room he'd been confined in. His friends were in Genkai's living room everyone was there. Shizuru, Boeton, Koenma, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Keiko, Yukina, and Genkai herself of course. No one looked happy, and all talking ceased when Kuwabara stepped into the room. Yusuke, and Shizuru were the first to rise, staring into Kuwabara's eyes. The others rose, and Yukina whispered Kuwabara's name, and rushed to him taking his arm. He pushed her away, startling the others. Hiei flinched but held his temper in check, and all watched as he left the shrine walking outside with a slight limp, and walking into the middle of the clearing that was outside Genkai's shrine.

His friends watched from the porch, as Kuwabara stood away from them, his back turned to them. Slowly Kuwabara's body began to shake, his shoulder's sagged, and he bent a little forward and screamed, "WHY? WWWWHHHHHYYYYY!? This is…THIS IS NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO FUCKING END!" His fists came up and he tore at the clothes on his chests, screaming as thunder that wasn't there before rolled on. He fell on all fours, pounding his fists on the ground screaming again, "WHY? IS THIS SOME SORT OF FUCKING JOKE?"

Yusuke stepped off the porch, and stood just in front of Genkai's shrine watching his best friend scream in misery. It began to rain hard, but Yusuke did not shrink back to the porch where he could stay dry. He let the rain wash over him, and watched as it fell on the miserable man in front of him.

Kuwabara's face was contorted with anger and misery. His eyes flooded with tears and he growled like a wild animal, "THIS…I GET SAVED AND MY PARENTS WHO HAD TO ENDURED THE MOST DON'T? WHAT KIND OF SHITTY ENDING IS THAT?" The group didn't know if Kuwabara's words were directed at himself, them, or God…but they were words that just couldn't be answered. "WHY? WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!?" Kuwabara went on bellowing slamming his fists into the mud, tears and rain falling from his face.

"THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE! WHY? WHY?"

Shizuru turned away from her brother, her hands on her face, eye closed tightly. She made no sound as she cried for her brother.

"WHY? WHAT DID I DO WRONG? I COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE THIS! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? I'M ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS! THE HEREOS! THE HERO IS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT ALRIGHT IN THE END! BUT I'M NOT ALRIGHT…NOTHING IS RIGHT!!"

Yukina hiccupped loudly gems falling down her face, several perfectly round jewels joining the dozens that lay on the ground.

"COME ON, THIS ISN'T RIGHT! DAMMIT! WHY!"

Boeton turned away hugging tightly to Koenma, who enveloped her in his arms, staring off at Kuwabara miserably. He closed his eyes not wanting to watch Kuwabara pound at the earth anymore, but he could not close he ears to the man's screams.

"I'VE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT! I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE THIS TYPE OF PUNISHMENT! WHY THE HELL AM I BEING PUNISHED, WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE!? DAMMIT! SOMEONE FUCKING ANSWER ME!!"

Genkai watched with the strangest look on her face. She seemed calm, though her old hands were shaking terribly behind her back, and her eyes seemed shinier than they normally were. In truth she was trying not to blink. She felt that is she did, the dam she was holding back would burst.

"DAMN YOU WHOEVER'S UP THERE! I FUCKING…AGHH! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO ME ANYMORE! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO ME THAT COULD MAKE THIS WORSE! DAMMIT!"

Keiko turned away and went back inside, making a half hysterical Yukina and Shizuru come with her. They didn't need to see this anymore.

"WHY THEM? YOU DIDN'T EVEN LET ME HAVE A WEEK WITH MY PARENTS! JUST ONE DAMNED WEEK…! WHY? DAMMIT! ANSWER ME! ANSWER ME!! ANSWER ME!!"

Kurama leaned against the house sinking to the ground, and sat still watching the rain drown the boy in more ways than one. It just wasn't fair...just wasn't right. None of this was right.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MY FAMIY? WHAT TYPE OF SICK BULLSHIT IS THIS! WHY? WHAT THE HELL COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MAKE ME DESERVE THIS, TO MAKE THEM DESERVE THIS! DAMMIT!"

Hiei looked at Kuwabara with a look he'd never spared to anyone. Sympathy.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!! WHY…WHY COULDN'T I HAVE BEEN THE ONE…WHY WASN'T IT ME THAT…WHY WASN'T IT ME THAT DIED?" Kuwabara's voice cracked, and he grabbed his throat, coughing harshly. He fell hard to the muddy ground and lay there coughing hard from all the effort that his screaming had taken out of him. He blinked as rain splashed with out mercy all over his face. He touched his eyes gently, knowing that the crosses still remained burned in his eyes. In a weird way he could feel them, he knew they were there he knew they hadn't gone and disappeared. He let his hand drop into the mud, and listened as he heard footsteps approach him.

A hand was on his back, and Yusuke's voice drifted in his ears, "I was hoping...that when you started talking again, it would be...like old times Kuwabara. Where you threaten to beat me, call Hiei a shrimp, or ask some stupid question." Kuwabara looked at Yusuke, barely turning his head. He didn't say anything, but just stared at Yusuke as he let the rain fall on him. Yusuke looked back at Kuwabara, his eyes gleaming with sadness. Yusuke sighed, "I guess that was just wishful thinking, eh Kuwabara?"

Kuwabara looked way from him, and lay still as the rain pelted his body. He lay in the rain, completely aware of Yusuke's hand that never left his back.

**End of this one**

There is more to come, this isn't the enc, though wouldn't I be the worst person ever if I left it like this? And yeah Kuwabara's parents are in hell…_nervous laugh_…I feel like I'm going to get a few death threats soon.


	19. Episode Nineteen: Slowly Fading Away

Ah...It's the day before school down here, and I couldn't be more ready than to want and kill myself...I dun wanna go to school...complain...

Enjoy the revised version!

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**EPISODE NINETEEN: Slowly Fading Away.**

Koenma cursed softly as once again he failed to hide the crosses in Kuwabara's eyes.

"I've tried everything," he whispered to a stiff and quiet Kuwabara, "these...these crosses aren't going to go away...I can't hide them...I don't even really know what to do to hide them!!" Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei gave out defeated sounding sighs, while Kuwabara remained slumped in his chair.

Kuwabara did not look like himself.

He was pale, and rings were under his eyes. He had the beginnings of a scruffy beard, and he no longer gelled his hair, so his curls hung messily around his face. Both he and Shizuru wore all black in mourning of their mother and father, but it was Kuwabara who'd been wearing it the longest. He blamed everything that had happened on himself, and no one could convince Kuwabara that all this hadn't been his fault.

Boeton came running into the office, and clutched Koenma's arm gasping out, "He's coming...Your father is coming here!" Boeton panted, eyes bulging in shock, and slight terror. Koenma rose stiffly, and stepped in front of his friends, eyes wide with panic. "What? What does he want?"

"To fix all that has been done wrong my son."

All but Kuwabara turned to the fearsome King Yenma who stood before them. He was a giant, and Yusuke had to bite his tongue so as not to make a crude remark about how it was possible for Koenma to be made. Kuwabara carelessly turned his head, meeting the eyes of Yenma, who gazed back.

Koenma suddenly blocked his view, "I won't let you dad...get out of here, this is our problem," the demi-God hissed.

"What's going on?" Yusuke demanded, hand instinctively coming on Kuwabara's shoulder. Kurama had rose from his seat and drifted to Kuwabara, just as Hiei stopped leaning against the wall and joined his friends. Kuwabara made no movement except to turn his head away, and looked back at his limp hands that rest in his lap. Kuwabara was in a protective circle of his friends, and the small group was ready to force Yenma out if necessary.

Yenma stood with his chin raised, leering down at all of them. "Under normal circumstances, I would take Kuwabara now, and make him join me at my side in my realm where he would spend the rest of his life under my protection. He would have no contact with anyone he'd met in his life, and would not have any type of relationship with anyone until he was dead and gone."

"WHAT?" Yusuke snarled, bracing himself for a fight, brown eyes flashing.

Yenma ignored the mans outburst, sighed and let his shoulder's slump. "But that is not what I'm going to do...I have been working tirelessly on something since you all arrived." Yenma approached them, the ground rattling as he walked. He looked down at Kuwabara who did not look at him back. Kuwabara wasn't refusing to look back at Yenma he just didn't care to…there were a lot of things Kuwabara just didn't care about anymore.

"Kazuma Kuwabara...your parents...it was my fault they were gone. I gave up the search for them when they were taken, I shouldn't have done that...or I at least should have told you and your sister what had happened," Yenma spoke slowly emphasizing each word carefully, but Kuwabara didn't make any sign to let Yenma know if he was listening, "Well...I have a few things to tell you...and give you. One...is the apology of a God...another is...well this." Awkwardly he dropped something on Kuwabara's lap.

Slowly, Kuwabara plucked it up.

That was the first sign of life they got from Kuwabara.

"Contacts?" Kuwabara asked softly, finally looking at Yenma.

"Not really, they will hide the crosses in your eyes, not fully but they will be shrunk down back to the normal size of a regular pupil, while you wear those…and that will make it harder for anyone to notice the crosses in your eyes." Yenma sighed relived that Kuwabara had said something, "You'll have a much easier life if you're able to hide your eyes from those that would like to try this all over again. And...I want to personally explain what you did when you tore off your wings and put them in Urameshi's body."

"Well that one is obvious! He brought me back to life, that's easy enough to see," Yusuke snapped hatefully at the lord. They didn't have a good history between them after that Sensui mess.

Yenma sighed, ignoring Yusuke, and went on, "Yes, yes, you were brought back from the dead, but Kuwabara shared his soul with you...your souls are now tied together. He is going to live the very long life of a demon, just like you will."

Yusuke looked shocked and felt Kuwabara stiffen, "What...?" Yusuke whispered, Yenma sighing in response.

"It's very complicated to explain..." Yenma sighed but after a moment of consideration decided to try and explain anyway, "You're souls are now tied together. It was a risky thing what Kuwabara did. It could have gone two ways for Kuwabara. An early grave, or a very long life…and it went the latter. You see when Yusuke died Kuwabara's soul instinctively tore his wings from his body. The wings jolted Yusuke's soul back into his body…it could have ended there, resulting in Kuwabara's spirit to just…cease to exist. But Yusuke's soul instead decided to coexist with Kuwabara's…thus changing what Kuwabara is," Yenma sighed and in a low voice said, "Kuwabara…you are neither human or demon…"

Those words sounded hard but Yusuke broke the tension by saying, "So he's like some higher being then. An angel or a saint maybe…he did bring me back to life. Just because he can't be considered human anymore…it doesn't make him different. Kuwabara is still Kuwabara." There was a cold tone in his voice, this being directed at Yenma.

Yenma let it slide and added, "Yes, Kuwabara, you are not bad. You saved many lives and brought your friends back from death…"

Yusuke looked down at Kuwabara, who just kept slouching further and further in his chair.

"Hey," Yusuke whispered ruffling Kuwabara's hair, "Thanks man...you brought me back and now you're stuck with me. You're going to age with me and die with me…we can be two crazy old farts together…sounds like a blast huh?"

Kuwabara did not respond to Yusuke, but looked at Koenma, "But what about Keiko?"

Koenma blinked and whispered, "She'll be granted a life as long as a demoness since she's marrying Yusuke…a wedding present from me to Yusuke." Koenma said glancing at Yusuke who gave him a wide appreciative grin.

Kuwabara nodded, but didn't look satisfied in the least. He looked at Yenma, whispering harshly, "I don't want it...I don't want to live a long and happy life...cut the connection." Yusuke pulled back from Kuwabara surprised, "What...Kuwabara you don't know what you're saying!"

Kuwabara rose, the chair banging to the ground, "I KNOW DAMM WELL WHAT I'M SAYING! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE A LONG AND FRUITFUL FUCKING LIFE! TAKE THIS CONNECTION AND SERVER IT!"

Yenma looked down at the human calmly, who growled in response and revealed his spirit sword.

"It's not my decision, it's his," Yenma nodded towards Yusuke, Kuwabara angrily turning on him.

"Urameshi, say you want this undone-SAY IT!" Kuwabara shoved his glowing sword in front of Yusuke's face, but his best friend stared calmly back at him, and shook his head no.

"Kuwabara...you deserve at least-AT LEAST-this...no...as long as I live...that's as long as you'll live."

Kuwabara's eyes prickled with tears, and he turned to Yenma, charging foreword, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Before he could hit Yenma, Hiei had grabbed him around the waist, and with a grim look on his face, held the struggling man. Everyone watched the struggling man, until he gave out and sunk limply to the ground, Hiei's hands still on his back.

"Why...?" Kuwabara croaked, "Why Urameshi...? I'm no good...no good to anyone...I should just die and rot." Yusuke dropped next to his friend, and seized him by the shoulders, "Like hell you will," Yusuke snarled, making Kuwabara look him in the eyes. "I am not too proud to beg my best friend not to die and give up on life. I'm not too proud to beg Kuwabara, I'll do it...I'll beg for you to live, so don't you think...don't you think you can just give up on me and die like a little girl!"

Kuwabara's chin trembled and he dropped his head, his hand coming to his face. As he sobbed loudly Yusuke pulled the man to him, and listened as the man choked out, "I want to forget...but I can still see it...I can still see them and the gate...Urameshi...I did all that I could but they still..." Kuwabara sobbed, Yusuke crushing his best friend to him. He let his brow rest on Kuwabara's messy curls, and he, himself fought back burning tears.

"I have...a gift for you Kuwabara..." Yenma whispered after a long silence. Only Kurama, Hiei, Boeton and Koenma looked at him. Yusuke and Kuwabara just ignored the man. "It took a great deal of bargaining and effort on my part, but your parent's souls have been released, and moved onward to heaven...I can't give them bodies our bring them back. They'll just have to be reincarnated like anyone else would...but I promise you...the next time you're all together again...I won't let anyone mess it up...you and your sister will have your parents the next time."

Kuwabara and Yusuke had turned to Yenma a look of shock on their face. At once a cheer went up all laughing, and congratulating Kuwabara. Kuwabara did not cheer. He looked at Yenma with lazy eyes, and grabbed the contacts off the desk. "Thank you," He whispered, no heart ringing behind it. "Thank you." He slowly walked away, leaving everyone behind. Yusuke watched him, and swallowed hard.

It was as if his friend was disappearing before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

**End of this chapter.**

Well this was a short episode. Ok I can tell you what happens, Kuwabara decides he's too much of a risk to be around, and doesn't want to be around depressing everyone as Keiko and Yusuke plan their wedding. So Just like in Episode one, he leaves a good-bye note behind, and sets out for a place he can hide himself away.


	20. Episode Twenty: Saying Goodbye To Me

Okay we are so close to the end that I'm gonna go ahead and update because i love this thing so much and we're almost done so I'm gonna get the rest out for you.

oh and remember stuff from earlier chapters, like how Hiei said he owed Kuwabara money, and stuff like that!

PREPARE FOR ANGST!

New and improved revised version!

**EPISODE TWENTY: SAYING GOOD-BYE TO ME**

Kuwabara rinsed his face off, and cleaned out the orange shavings in the sink. He looked in the mirror at his old self. Clean shaven face, gelled up hair, and normal eyes. Kuwabara moved the contact in his eye a little, and saw the cross leering at him. He blinked, and pulled away from the mirror. It had been another week since they met with Yenma, and Kuwabara decided it was time to stop moping and making his sister worry. He didn't want to worry her anymore.

He pulled on a green shirt, some brown jeans, and picked up some brown shoes that he would wear as soon as he got outside of the apartment. When he walked into the kitchen his sister put out her cigarette and approached him. She offered him a weak smile, "You going to Genkai's?" Kuwabara nodded, and she hugged him whispering, "I'm so glad to see you back to your old self."

Kuwabara did not smile.

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Kuwabara had decided to walk to Genkai's, but now was pausing in the park. He pulled out a pocketknife, and flipped it open. It had been his father's, and Kuwabara had found it shoved in the pocket of one of his father's jackets. He flicked it open looking at the smooth silvery blade. His eyes reflected off the blade, and as he stared in the poor reflection of his eyes, he hated his fake pupils all the more.

As he flicked it shut and open again and again, he let the silvery blade lift his sleeve of his shirt up very gently, leaving a faint scratch mark up his wrist. The blade pressed up against his flesh made his skin tingle and crawl like when a new friend grasped his wrist and pulled him along. He shuddered, as he poked the blade through his arm, letting a drip of red fall down his arm, and then fall sideways off his wrist. He felt a sudden rush of passion for that small drop of blood, the passion of wanting more to fall, and the passion of wanting that red drop to never have left his body.

"You know," Kuwabara said aloud, "When a samurai failed in his mission, he would kill himself out of shame, and to retrieve that last bit of honor he'd lost and sometimes..." Kuwabara trailed off and looked behind him, staring directly at the wide-eyed Kurama, "they'd ask a friend to help them." Kurama in one swift movement strode forward and slapped Kuwabara hard across the face.

His chest rose in a huff, and he stared at Kuwabara a long time before grabbing the pocket knife, closing it and handing it back to Kuwabara. "No...don't you...don't you even think-" Kurama went silent when Kuwabara rose, finally looking at him. Kuwabara smiled, and hugged Kurama, one of his large hands resting on the back of Kurama's head, the other around his shoulders, "Kurama...you're a good friend."

And just like that Kuwabara pulled away, tossed over his shoulder that he'd see him at Genkai's and, headed on his way. Kurama felt his whole body trembling, and something painfully warm was pressing to the back of Kurama's eyes. "Kuwabara..." He whispered looking at the ground to stare at the lone drop of blood Kuwabara left behind.

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Kuwabara arrived at Genkai's shrine and after talking with Yukina, and Genkai for a moment, he excused him self to the bathroom. He pulled up his sleeve, and looked at the dry blood on his arm that was beginning to come off in flakes. He sighed, and turned the water on. He stuck his arm under the cool water, and listened to the loud sound of rushing water. He closed his eyes gently, and sighed. He looked at his arm, a pink trail coming off the still tiny wound he'd inflicted on himself.

"It might just be deep enough to scar…is that what you were looking for?"

Kuwabara turned to Hiei, who was staring at him from the open bathroom door. Kuwabara smiled, "It's rude not to knock you know." Hiei said nothing, but turned his eyes away from Kuwabara's eyes and back to the wound.

"I do hope it scars," Kuwabara said wistfully, "so that I can remember that I almost gave into weakness. That I almost gave up on myself..."

Hiei walked over to him, still looking at the wound, and Kuwabara sighed, "Can't you look me in the eye anymore?"

Hiei paused, but looked up at Kuwabara's sad eyes, and in a slow, deep tone said, "I see shame when I look in your eyes...my shame...I should have come as soon as Boeton told me you'd gone missing...if I had gone then...maybe things could have been different."

The two men stared at each other, the rushing water spraying loudly against Kuwabara's flesh, the blood having stopped flowing a long time ago. Kuwabara turned the sink off, and whispered, "Hiei...thank you...you're a pretty nice guy..." Kuwabara held out one of his wet hands, and Hiei gripped it, holding it for a moment, before walking off.

Kuwabara looked down at his hands where a crumpled ten-dollar bill lay.

1234

Kuwabara sat outside, watching the birds in the trees, and listened to the faint sounds of their songs. Yukina's soft footsteps caught his ears, and she dropped softly next to him as a single snowflake would drop against the ground. Kuwabara did not turn to look at her, though he knew she was staring intently at him.

"Yukina-chan?" He finally whispered, the young ice maiden jumping, "Y-Yes Kazuma-kun?" He looked at her, and smiled, "You know I love you." Yukina blushed deeply, Kuwabara had never said it so plainly before. Kuwabara turned away from her, "You don't have to say anything, you don't have to make a sound...just listen for a moment. I've made all these speeches of love to you, but I never just said it. Just said it so simply, and I just thought it was about time I did."

Yukina looked at him, and grabbed his hand, hiccupping as large gems rolled down her cheeks. Kuwabara didn't look at her, and whispered, "Did I hurt you...when I pushed you?"

Yukina hiccupped again, "You hurt me when you left...I didn't want you to go away, I didn't want you to leave me...Kazuma-kun...I..."

Kuwabara took the small woman in his arms, and held her, the young girl clinging tightly. "Don't say anything until you're ready...I do after all have an extended amount of time to wait for you after all. Not that I wouldn't have waited lifetimes for your decision anyways."

Yukina let out a bitter sob, whispering, "Kazuma-kun if you ever leave...please make sure you'll be back...please." Kuwabara hugged her, a bland expression on his face. He couldn't promise that. He held her, and after a moment, she finally pulled away calm, and looking at him with a new shine in her eyes. He offered her a fragile smile, and watched her walk away from him.

"But Yusuke...our wedding..."

Kuwabara's head turned to the left at the sound of Keiko's voice.

Kuwabara rose, and peeking carefully around the corner he saw Keiko and Yusuke standing across from each other within Genkai's shrine. Keiko was standing in front of Yusuke with her head down, while he clutched her hands to him. Yusuke looked miserably at Keiko and whispered, "Can we hold off our wedding just for a little longer...I want Kuwabara to be my best man...and he's no where near in the condition to do such a thing...He can't...he's really hurting and he needs me..." Yusuke looked away from Keiko's questioning eyes, "And I really need him, if...if he's not at my side when we do this...I'm afraid...I don't want to lose him Keiko. He blames himself for all the bad things that have happened, and if he's not at my wedding…I think that'll just make it worse. Keiko I love you, but Kuwabara's like my brother…please just wait a moment longer."

Keiko wrapped her arms around Yusuke, and pressed her face against his neck, "I understand...I used to not get you two...but now I do...We'll wait. Even if it take years I'll wait...I want Kuwabara to be there for you, but not just you, but me too."

Yusuke smiled hugging her, "Thanks Keiko...thank you."

Kuwabara backed away from the scene, feeling his heart drop into his stomach, and dissolve. He was ruining everyone's plans. With out answering a questioning Genkai, Kuwabara fled Genkai's house quickly. He hurried down the streets, his mind a whirl of the young couple's words. He didn't want to make them wait. He didn't like being this way. He wanted to be Kazuma Kuwabara again-he wanted to be Kuwabara!

"I WANT TO BE ME AGAIN!" Kuwabara screamed, opening his eyes to stare at the sun. He looked up, finally realizing he was on the roof on his old jr. high building.

"How'd I get here...?" He whispered looking around. "How...?" He looked back at the door that led to the roof and saw it hanging off its hinges. 'Did I break in?' Kuwabara thought sitting down in a huff. He didn't want to be here anymore. He was done with it all, he hated life now. The dreams, the whispers he heard in his head. He wished he had died, he wished he'd been the new bar for the gates of Purgatory...not his parents...not them…even if they were safely in heaven now…they were still gone…

"Well, I came here looking for Hiei, and I see you dashing madly through the streets."

Kuwabara's head snapped up to look at Mukuro who stood on the railing of the school looking down at him. She stared blankly at him with her fake eye, and marred face. He stared back at her, knowing that her haunting eyes, real and fake, could see through the contacts, and see his crosses. "You're stomach wound...is it better now?" Kuwabara asked immediately, Mukuro briefly looking down at her waist at the question. It was clear she hadn't even thought of her wound received be Sage, she'd clearly forgotten any pain she'd received.

"Yes. It was barely a scratch for a demon such as I," she answered in a smooth elegant way as she glanced to Kuwabara.

Kuwabara smiled, and sighed, "Yeah...you know…you sound a lot like him, Hiei I mean... Speaking of which, Hiei's over at Genkai's...it's a shrine. I can give you directions if you need it."

Mukuro appeared next to him, and sat down across from him, sitting very stiffly. "I know where it is," she said plainly, "I don't need directions, but I do have a question...how is it you and Hiei are friends?"

Kuwabara sputtered, and laughed, shaking his head, "No...No we're not friends...he hates my guts...we're just…well comrades…uh…I don't know what else to say really…"

Mukuro smiled mysteriously at him, "He likes you...he may be able to lie to you but he can't lie to me...He sees you for the man that you crave to be...a man like your father." Kuwabara flinched, but the strangely kind, and cold woman went on, "I think he's a little envious at your passion for your honor. He has his own honor, in his own special way, but he sees you, and knows that yours outshines him, I think you almost make him jealous."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kuwabara asked leaning against the building, slumped in an undignified manner. Mukuro stared at him, and let his question hang in the air before rising, and going back to the railing.

"They don't want you to die Kuwabara. So don't even consider it."

Kuwabara looked away from her, turned back to say something, and found she was gone. He stayed there for a moment longer, sighed, and left.

At home he ate dinner. Watched TV. with his sister. Called up his old Gang. Played with his cat. Talked to Yusuke for a few hours. And went to sleep, setting his alarm for five A.M. At that time he got up. Brushed his hair. Brushed his teeth. Put on deodorant. Gelled up his hair, and threw all that in his back pack, along with clothes, and a bag of bread. He took everything he would need but one thing.

Kuwabara left the contacts behind.

He was tired of hiding the crosses.

Tired of hiding what had happened to him.

He was just plain tired.

Kuwabara wrote another good-bye note, like he'd done before, that read,

_**"Dear everyone,**_

_**  
I'm going away for a while. Don't wait for me, but I promise I'll return in a few years. Try not to worry. I need to sort things out with my self. There are many things wrong with me right now, and I don't want you all thinking that I'm going to drop down dead every few seconds. I won't do that. I'm Kazuma Kuwabara, the man, I won't do anything bad to myself. I'll really try not to. Urameshi, get married. Don't make Keiko wait; you've already had to make her wait so many times. Keiko please have your wedding, and don't worry about me. I don't know when I'll be back. But I won't be gone forever. I won't do that to you guys.**_

_**--Thanks Kazuma Kuwabara. "**_

Kuwabara left the house after petting Eckiji, and looking in at his sister while she slept. He sighed and left his house key on the dresser with the note.

He left the apartment, and strode out the building, and down the street. Kuwabara smiled as he walked under the lit street lamps, thinking of his friends. He was a really lucky guy…he loved every last one of them. He stopped to look at himself in a glass window, seeing the crosses looking back at him. He smiled, feeling oddly comforted by the small crosses...hiding them had done him no good and now that they were revealed for the whole world again he felt a weight lift his chest. His heart still ached, but hiding these crosses were no better. He continued to walk on, Kuwabara wondering when he would return. Checking his clock, he figured he had about another few minutes to get to the train station. He was taking the earliest train, and buying a ticket that would manage to get him out of the town as far as he could go.

Kuwabara arrived just in time managing to be on the train at six in the morning, and boarded the train pausing to look behind him. His pale blue eyes looked at the city knowing it would be a long time before he saw it again. He thought of all his memories there, but as the train whistled, Kuwabara turned his back on his old life, and boarded the train.

Kuwabara found a seat by a window, and sat down glancing at a man who sat in front of him. He had his hat lowered, and a heavy coat on, with a bottle of whine in his hand. Kuwabara tried not to laugh at this fellow who he reeked of beer, but had to allow himself a small chuckle so he wouldn't burst. Next to him was another fellow, his face turned away from Kuwabara, also wearing a heavy coat and curled up in the seat. He was snoring loudly…

'What a lively pair,' Kuwabara mused to himself.

"Jean...?" The man holding the beer mumbled, opening his eyes. He blinked and tilted his hat, and sharp brown eyes fell on Kuwabara. Kuwabara shifted nervously under his gaze, and the drunk asked, "Are you part of a cult?"

Kuwabara blinked blushed hard, touched near his eyes, and whispered, "No...I was in an accident..."

The man coughed and shook his head, "First time traveling by train?" He asked with a hic.

"Yes," Kuwabara whispered, "I'm leaving home for a while." The man nodded, and his eyes seemed to sober up, and he leaned toward Kuwabara whispering, "Running away then?" Kuwabara nodded nervously, wanting the man to go away. He was a little unsettling…as if he knew everything that was going on in Kuwabara's head.

The drunken man leaned back, looked at Kuwabara and nodded as if he _did_ indeed know something.

He sighed and opened his mouth, eyes flashing as if he was going to relay some wise information, "I have to take a shit," He staggered off bumping into the man curled up in the seat muttering, "Sorry Jean," and was gone.

Kuwabara let out a relieved sigh at the man's departure and just continued to fidget nervously while looking out the window. All he could see now were trees and a lake; this city Kuwabara called home and dearly loved had completely vanished. So this was really it…Kuwabara sighed and smiled sadly. There was no turning back now.

"Good-bye guys."

A coughing caught his attention, and a raspy slurring voice asked, "Who yaz saying good-bye to?"

Kuwabara looked over at the other drunk and sighed.

He sure knew how to pick seats.

"Just...my life...my friends...me I guess."

A hiccup caught him, and the voice mumbled, "Shouldn't have left without sayin' good-bye to those frien's faces...es...es...es." Kuwabara looked at him, the drunken man obviously trying to get up, and out of his chair.

"Well...I couldn't face them...they'd talk me out of leaving...but I had to...I was a bother and I wanted my friends to be happy again...but that can't do that if they have to worry about me wanting to...to..."

Another hiccup, "Dis'pear?"

Kuwabara nodded, "Yes. But I want to come back...that's why I needed to leave. I got to sort things out, and then I can go home...and apologize, if they'll forgive me." Kuwabara would have said more but the drunk, or Jean, toppled onto the floor. Kuwabara almost laughed again, but bent down and began helping the man up.

Then a surprisingly strong hand grabbed a hold of Kuwabara's wrist, and Kuwabara froze as completely sober eyes looked up at him.

"You should have tried to make them understand how badly you were hurting."

Kuwabara shakily removed the man's hat, and found Yusuke's brown eyes, glaring at him, and a smug smile on his face. Kuwabara sat on the ground, still being held by the wrist by his best friend. "How did...what...-" Two throats were cleared, and Kuwabara looked next to him, seeing Kurama and Hiei in the seats across from him.

"Mukuro tipped us off you'd be leaving...we just figured out where'd you go, and beat you to it," Kurama said smiling at the stunned teen.

Kuwabara's mouth dropped open, "I didn't even know I was leaving until just yesterday afternoon!! How the hell did that woman know!? Aren't I the psychic here?"

Hiei chuckled at Kuwabara's outburst, "Mukuro works in mysterious ways…She doesn't need any psychic powers to be able to tell what your next moves are here."

Yusuke shook his coat off, and grabbed Kuwabara's shoulders. "You son of a bitch...I had to endure being called 'Jean' by a drunk for a good forty minutes before you showed up."

Hiei laughed suddenly, and nodded towards Kuwabara, "Go easy on him Yusuke, he still seems a little stunned."

"Guys...seriously…what are you doing!?" Kuwabara finally spoke again looking miserable,

"Why you doing this...why are you here?"

Yusuke forced Kuwabara to his feet, "I don't know about you, but I'm tried of being split up by some bad shit we've been dealt, and you know what...if you really need to go, then go, but we're coming with you. We're not being split up anymore-AND DAMMIT KUWABARA! YOU'RE BEING MY BEST MAN AT MY DAMN WEDDING, YOU GOT ME PAL?" When Yusuke started shouting at him, he grabbed Kuwabara by the front of his shirt and screamed in his face, making sure the big guy got the point that Yusuke was really tired of them all having to be separated.

Yusuke then sat down folded his arms, and asked, "So...where we going then?"

Kuwabara looked at his three friends, who all smirked at him, and he sighed, sitting down propping his feet up on Yusuke, who swore loudly at Kuwabara. The copper haired man sighed and laughed saying, "I dunno...we'll get off on the last stop…how does that sound?"

Yusuke nodded, glaring at Kuwabara's legs, "yeah whatever-DON'T TOUCH ME QUEER!"

Laughter rolled out on the train as it drove off towards the sun, taking the group to an unknown destination.

**End of this chapter**

LAST EPISODE COMING UP! YES! Well not really, cuz there's gonna be a bonus episode where we see what's going on after the last episode. You know just how everyone is doing and all. Been a pleasure.


	21. Episode twentyone: The End

Last episode-technically-besides a bonus episode I'll write soon-HEY HUGE A SPOILER A'COMIN! I WARNED YA! I dun own the lyrics in this thing!

Enjoy the new revised version!

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**EPISODE TWENTY-ONE: THE END**

Shizuru, Boeton, Koenma, Yukina, Genkai, and Keiko sat quietly inside the elderly woman's shrine.

"It's been eight months now hasn't it?" Genkai asked, receiving soft sighs from everyone.

"Koenma sir, can't you...you know...go find them! I know you can!" Boeton whined sadly.

Koenma smiled at he normally bubbly woman, "They quit remember? They're not Rekai's anymore...after the whole Raizen mess, and the tournament, Yusuke quit. The only reason we continue to see them all is because we're friends. I can't really look for them anymore…"

Shizuru nodded, taking a long drag on her cigarette, "Hmm...they're not really retired you know? If you ever need help, they'll take the mission. You know they will...they just won't be obligated to do your missions anymore. They'll just do it whenever they get bored…which should be all the time. Those dumbasses need a constant distraction just so they can focus."

Koenma nodded lightly chuckling at Shizuru's words, "Yeah...I'm keeping my eye out for new Rekai now too...God help us if another Yusuke comes along."

There was soft laughter and then silence.

"I wish Kazuma would find himself already...I'd like my baby brother back...it's bad enough he finished high school and has yet to choose a college, but soon he'll want to move out, and I won't get to see him so much." Shizuru sighed before glancing at Keiko and adding, "However...the more important reason is your wedding with Yusuke, Keiko. He needs to hurry up and get better so you and Yusuke can finally tie the knot."

Keiko flushed scarlet, "No...I want Kuwabara to get better more then my wedding...he needs this time with Yusuke and the others...poor Kuwabara...he suffered so much...he was so nice to me when Yusuke was gone those two years..." Keiko smiled, "And you know...I really like him...he's a good man, and I want him to be Yusuke's best man."

"Well I do to."

All heads turned in excitement to see Yusuke standing in the door way smirking. Keiko rose eyes filled with excitement and awe. She smiled wide, and ran to him, Yusuke sweeping her up in his arms.

"YUSUKE!"

She laughed until she cried, kissing his face. Kurama, and Hiei walked in all smiles, everyone eagerly running over to them, greeting them with zeal. Talking was loud, but it all ceased at the sound of soft footsteps.

All turned to see Kuwabara standing there, a backpack slung over his shoulder. His cursed eyes, with the crosses staring sharply at them all reached their faces, and looked into their eyes. A slow familiar, goofy smile flashed across his face.

"Hey guys!"

Shizuru balled up her fists, "WELL OF ALL THE GOD DAMNED NERVE! KAZUMA I OUGHT TO KICK YOU'RE ASS RIGHT HERE AND NOW!" Shizuru stomped over to him, and looked ready to take a slug at him, but instead she hugged him, muttering, "You're lucky I'm happier to have you back then angry that you left!"

Kuwabara smiled, closing his eyes, and hugging his sister tightly. "I'm glad to be back sis...I really am."

They broke away, and Yukina had Kuwabara's hand. The taller man smiled timidly at her, and his face turned bright red as she hugged him.

"Kazuma-kun, I love you too! Please don't leave me alone again!"

Whistles from Yusuke, Boeton, and Shizuru filled the air, while Koenma and Kurama looked at an angry Hiei wondering why Hiei just stood quietly glaring rather then lunging for Kuwabara. Genkai just shook her head, smiling tiredly, and thankful she'd live long enough to see this day.

Kuwabara grinned goofily, and then cleared his throat, "Oh wait, Hiei..." Kurama and Yusuke blinked, and then seemed to remember something.

"Hiei tell her!" Yusuke ordered dragging Hiei to Yukina who stood confused holding Kuwabara's hand. Hiei muttered shaking his head, ears slightly red. Kuwabara released Yukina's hand, flicked Hiei's brow, (thus shocking everyone in the room,) and stood by Yusuke, Hiei's angry red orbs following him the entire time. Hiei looked back at Yukina, who was looking intently at him all smiles.

Hiei sighed, giving up.

"Yukina...I am the brother you've been looking for."

For a long moment they stood looking at each other, and then she let out a loud laugh, wrapping her arms around him, and crying, "I knew it was you!" Hiei stood awkwardly, frowning completely embarrassed. Yusuke and Kuwabara made motions for Hiei to hug Yukina making their arms swoop wildly. Kurama covered his mouth as so not to laugh, and nodded approvingly when Hiei wrapped one arm around his sister, embracing her for the first time.

Kuwabara sighed sitting down, and at this, Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei immediately looked at him. The others noticing the worried looks, looked at Kuwabara wondering if something was wrong.

"Easy guys, I'm just tired!" Kuwabara said with a laugh, the cross-stained eyes looking at them all.

Koenma frowned, "Ah...I see the gates of Purgatory have still weakened you…I had hoped you'd be back to your full strength."

"Oh I'm better then my full strength," Kuwabara said with a smirk, "It's just that my psychic abilities have grown…I have more visions then sleep. I'm okay though Koenma…" Kuwabara looked over Shizuru and then directly to her and said, "I'm much better now. Don't worry." Kuwabara let a flicker of a smile kiss his lips, and nodded as if to reaffirm his words. The smile grew when his sister sat down, and took his hand. Kuwabara sighed, looked over at his best friend, and then at Keiko.

Kuwabara sighed grumpily, glaring at Yusuke, "Urameshi, give her the damn ring!"

Keiko's eyes widened, and she looked at Yusuke who was flipping Kuwabara off.

When he saw her looking at him, he blushed, and faced her. He pulled from his pocket a little red velvet box, and opened it for her to see. Inside was a simple Gold band with a sapphire in the middle, with smaller diamonds circling it. She looked at Yusuke who took the ring out, throwing the box away, and slipped it on her finger. "I admit...I had to get Kuwabara to use that spiritual prowess of his to figure out your ring size..." Yusuke said looking at her shocked face, still holding her hand, "I know we've talked, but I want to make it official...Keiko, will you marry me?"

She looked at the glittering ring, then to Yusuke, but pulled away, and bent down and kissed Kuwabara's brow. The man looked startled, and with a soft, but stern stone, she said, "God bless you Kuwabara...you're the best of us." Leaving Kuwabara to blush from the praise, she ran to Yusuke, and kissed him deeply, letting her tears fall.

Laughter filled the shrine, as did talks of the wedding that would be held in three short months.

**THREE MONTHS LATER…**

The wedding was being held outside Genkai's shrine in a big tent. The entrance to the wedding faced the woods so that the demons Yusuke had made friends with, such as George, Jin, Enki, Chuu, Touya, and others could watch, with out freaking out the other guests, like Keiko's parents. The bride, and her bride's maids were inside, getting ready in one room, while Yusuke was in another.

The wedding began in only twenty minutes.

Kurama looked nervously at Atsuko who hung drunkenly on him. "My 'Usuke...gettin' hitched...Aye hope they use condoms...we dun' want anther bastard like 'Usuke. Mmm…you know boy…you're pretty…why don'cha hang out wif' me an' not my son eh?" Kurama nodded nervously praying Atsuko would never ask him that again, and looked over at Kuwabara who stood next to the preacher on the podium, who was gently talking to him. Kurama rose, and went to Kuwabara's side, pausing to listen to the last bits of the conversation.

"...Those eyes of yours son, you should think of it as a blessing not a curse."

"It's a little bit of both sir, and I can tell you, no one will see anything like these eyes have seen."

Kurama smiled, and tapped Kuwabara on the shoulder asking, "Where's Yusuke?"

Kuwabara sighed, "I'll go get that little-" a glance at the holy man next to him, "-jerk."

Kuwabara walked off and smiled at Koenma and Genkai who sat next to Atsuko, keeping the woman distracted to spare poor Kurama. Genkai looked very annoyed, and glared at the drunken mother, who was singing loudly, "Here comes the bride."

Kuwabara passed Mukuro and Hiei who stood farthest away from the wedding, but they nodded at him, Mukuro smiling the slightest bit. Kuwabara took note of her hand resting comfortably on Hiei's shoulder.

He smiled as he passed her, and waved at the other demons as he rushed inside to get the groom. He went into the shrine going into the wrong room. He stared at Keiko in surprise, the young woman going red.

"NO! YOU CAN'T SEE THE BRIDE!" Boeton shrieked angrily, but Kuwabara cried back, "I'm not the groom! I'm not the groom, where's Yusuke?"

Shizuru, wearing a light pink dress like the other brides' maids put out her cigarette, and motioned to the other room across the hall. Kuwabara nodded, and told Keiko she was the prettiest bride he's seen yet, and then headed for Yusuke's room, wondering why Yukina wasn't in that room with Keiko and the other girls.

Kuwabara found Yusuke standing in front of a mirror, cursing and mumbling under his breath. His jacket laid on the bed forgotten, and his bow tie stayed in his hands, as he fumbled to put them on. "Damn...Damn...DAMMIT!"

"Yusuke Urameshi!" Kuwabara cried, catching his friend's attention, and making the shorter man jump. The youth turned, frowning, his gelled hair out of place. "Don't you know any other curses?" Kuwabara said jokingly and walked over to him.

Yusuke sighed, blowing a lose strand out of his eye. "This sucks, I can't even put it on for a wedding!" Kuwabara smiled shaking his head, and took the bow, and with the greatest of ease tied the bow on Yusuke.

Yusuke smiled as Kuwabara fixed his collar, "Well, well, how'd you know how to do that?"

Kuwabara smile at his friend's wedding, "When I was ten, I learned for my Dad's funeral."

Yusuke looked ashamed, and placed his hand on Kuwabara's shoulder, who shook his head, "Don't say anything, just get your tail out there before Keiko beats you!"

Yusuke hurriedly put his jacket on, Kuwabara helping him pin a red carnation on the suits pocket, before they both went in the hall. Hearing giggling Yusuke looked at the door where Keiko and the other girls were. He made way for the door, but Kuwabara caught him, "You can't look at the bride now! It's bad luck!"

Yusuke frowned, "I can do anything I want!" Kuwabara shook his head, smiled, and picked up Yusuke swinging him over his shoulder.

With Yusuke screaming, and threatening Kuwabara, the taller man carried his best friend outside. When Jin saw him from the woods he got everyone's attention by crying out, "Hey look at that! Not ain't that jus' the funniest sight?"

Everyone laughed, and Kuwabara waved again, calling, "He was trying to sneak a peak at his bride! Impatient, isn't he?" The group laughed, watching him go. Those who'd only heard about Kuwabara from Chuu, Touya, Jin, and especially Yusuke, looked at him, taking this man in the first time. He wasn't so bad for a human, and the admired him for his boldness about letting people see his scarred eyes.

Everyone knew from those crosses he'd seen the gates, and could open them, and that put his life in serious danger.

Well in truth, the demons' thoughts reminded them, Kuwabara was best friends with THE Yusuke Urameshi. No demon was dumb enough to try and snatch Kuwabara unless they were feeling suicidal. After meeting Yusuke Urameshi, after just hearing about him, they knew it was best to never touch anything or anyone Yusuke cared about, and Kuwabara and his soon-to-be wife were at the top of that "off-limits," list.

Kuwabara walked down the long hall everyone laughing, Kuwabara assuring them that Yusuke didn't have cold feet, that he was just trying to sneak a glance at the bride. After yelling at Kuwabara, and muttering darkly, Yusuke calmed, and smiled at Kuwabara at his side. Kurama came next to Kuwabara and then after Yusuke shouted, "OI! HIEI GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" Kuwabara and Kurama looked apologetically at the preacher as Hiei, and Yusuke barked angrily at each other. In the end Yusuke won, Hiei had promised to be his best man.

The four stood there proudly, and the wedding march began.

All rose, and turned looking, and waiting for the bride.

Yukina showed up first, carrying a basket of flowers. Everyone almost laughed, but all agreed to themselves that she made a perfect flower girl. She threw the petals gently scattering them on both sides. She smiled at Kuwabara and her brother, and stood opposite of them waiting for the others. Boeton and Shizuru were next, a happy smile on Boeton and Shizuru's face. They stood holding their flowers and waited for Keiko.

Keiko turned revealing herself to the waiting eyes, and all caught their breath.

She was a beauty to behold. She wore a long white lacy dress with no veil, but simple white lilies in her hair in its stead. She was lovely, and a grand sight. She approached Yusuke, and Yusuke smiled broadly when he noticed Puu had been carrying the train of her dress. Puu flapped over to Kuwabara, and perched on his shoulder, resting on Kuwabara's neck, his favorite spot it seemed. Even when he was in his large phoenix form he loved resting his head on Kuwabara's shoulder.

The wedding went on, but Yusuke really wasn't listening. He stared at his wife-to-be thoughts of her floating through his mind. When he first met her, when they first became friends...when he first flipped up her skirt. Then more memories floated in his head. Boeton shouting bingo three times when he figured out he was dead. Koenma holding up his egg, saying he was going to let him come back to life anyway. Kurama on the hospital roof that first time they met, speaking of his mother. Hiei muttering something sort of nice to him at the Maze castle, all the while still trying to be cool and callous as he always was. And a very beat up Kuwabara, who was studying his hardest, just so he could keep, "a man's promise," as he had called it.

All the faces of everyone that had touched his life stuck in his head, but the last memory almost made his breath lock inside his chest. He saw Kazuma and Kari walking away through the bushes, hand in hand, headed for the river to take a bath.

In that moment he thanked Kuwabara's parents for their sacrifice. If they hadn't given up their lives in exchange for Kuwabara's…If they hadn't let Kuwabara continue to live on…then Yusuke doubt he would have ever been able to go through with this wedding.

The next thing he knew he was saying 'I do,' and then deeply kissing the one he loved.

Cheers went up, the bouquet was thrown, and Koenma caught it, blushing as Boeton hugged him. Yusuke and Keiko cut their cake, eating a piece together while cameras snapped pictures. Then Yusuke threw a large chunk of it at Kuwabara (whom had been chatting with Yukina) who glared at him waving a fist threateningly. Yusuke and Keiko had their first dance together as a coupled, her head on his chest, tucked under his chin.

Then the pictures.

Everyone got in on this, smiling brightly.

The picture of all of them, the guests, the parents, everyone would one day be hung in the room of first baby of the newly wed couple, but that hadn't happened yet. Right now it was just the wedding, but more specifically the after party.

Yusuke stopped talking with Keiko's dad when he noticed Kuwabara standing outside at the steps of Genkai's shrine, watching the setting sun. He jogged up to meet him, and then quietly took his place at his friend's side. He looked at Kuwabara, whose eyes stared at the stairs. They turned to look at him, and he softly said, "This was where I took my first few steps for becoming apart of your great adventures Urameshi."

Yusuke smiled, "They were your adventures too. Come on, who gave me the strength to kick ass all those times?"

Kuwabara laughed and looked back at the setting sun. Kuwabara sighed and in a slow way and a low tone said, "I was offered a chance to go to a school in Germany, you know for college,"

Yusuke's hands dropped to his side, hanging limply. He stared at Kuwabara, a puzzled and worried look on his face. "Kuwabara...I...if...if that's what you want..." He turned his eyes away from the man, but was caught in a headlock, Kuwabara messing up his hair with a noogie.

"I'm not going Urameshi! I'm going to a college just a few miles away from here! Like you said, you were done having us be split up!"

Yusuke laughed, punching Kuwabara hard on the arm, "You ass..."

The two sighed looking at each other and then to the setting sun. This part in their life was over, and tomorrow, a new life for them all would begin.

((_Ahem, this is going to seem odd but here is a translated Yu Yu Hakusho song (song: Boku-taichi no Kisetsu Our Seasons Yu yu Hakusho-what's funny is this song is sung by Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara's Japanese voice actors. Now since is supposed to be like watching the episodes, here for the ending credits is a special ending theme that shows you what all happens, so that above is not the ending, here's the ending. Do continue, and sorry for the interruption._))

**/My worn-out fingertips are drenched in the morning sunlight It seems like Spring is waking Hold close the memories/**

Kuwabara can be seen walking up on the stage, wearing black robes, eagerly accepting a diploma. He turns and smiles at the crowd, blushing as Yukina, Yusuke, Shizuru, Koenma, Kurama, Hiei, Boeton, Keiko (with a large belly), and Genkai wave at him.

**/As long as our meetings aren't too old, it glitters. It's a treasure./**

We see Kurama in a business suit; his stepfather had given him the run of his business, making it a family business now. Kurama smiles at a woman who wears a silver band that matches his own silver ring on his hand. A panicked look flashes on his face, and the woman looks down at her swishing white tail, quickly grabbing it.

**/Season is illuminated… Also don't Forget the time we spent all day watching the same sea./**

We see Hiei and Mukuro standing side by side. We can only see the backs, but slowly Hiei's hand comes, and takes Mukuro's hand squeezing it gently.

/**I dream of Gentle tears that Seem like water.  
Also, how can I tell When I'm unable to speak?/**

Now we see Boeton smiling as Koenma talks to a teenaged boy about getting his life returned. He has purple hair, brown eyes, and a scowl on his face. He looks oddly familiar as he stands there glaring at a yellow egg with a frustrated pout.

**/Resurrecting our love I'm afraid I'll be hurt Only make the feelings Stand still./**

We see Shizuru, in a white dress with small blue dots all over it. She is holding hands, with a man that we can only see from behind, but from the back of his head, you could almost swear it was Sakyo…

**/Bask in the sunlight… It's the beginning of our season. Also don't forget the time we spent all day in the same roaring wind…/**

Now leaves are falling off the trees, and we see an even older Genkai walking alone among the fallen leaves, tired eyes looking around. A hand is offered to her, and she looks up in the face of Toguro. A young hand takes his, and the young and beautiful Genkai is walking hand in hand with Toguro, as her old shell lies peacefully on the ground.

**/I can't sleep at night anymore. Before walking all morning Because of love/**

We see Yusuke grabbing a hold of a three year old that giggles as his father throws him in the air. Keiko shakes her head, and rubs her large belly. Her eyes go wide, and she looks at Yusuke alarmed. He looks back at her, then her stomach, and in a panic rushes her to the hospital, where we soon hear the sound of a baby crying.

/**Bask in the sunlight… It's the beginning of our season. Also don't forget the time we spent all day in the same roaring wind…/**

We see Yukina kiss Kuwabara, hugging her arms around his neck. She is now wearing a wedding dress and smiling at her friends. Yusuke is nudging Kuwabara, who glares at him red faced, and those crosses still shining in his eyes. He lets them be seen with no shame.

**/Now our whole Season is illuminated. Also don't Forget the time We spent all day Watching the same sea../**

Everyone is at a picnic, smiles everywhere. Kuwabara is carrying his baby girl in his arms, shushing her gently, with a smile. Yukina is leaned over his shoulder, smiling down at the babe. Hiei and Mukuro stand together, Mukuro's stomach now rounder. She takes Hiei's hand suddenly and presses it to her stomach. After a moment you can tell he has felt something, for he looks at her with an awed expression. Kurama is gently pulling a leaf out of a woman's hair looking at her lovingly. Boeton and Koenma laugh with Shizuru and Sakyo who are holding onto each other with a smile.

Keiko looks up from setting up the picnic table at Yusuke who is playing with his six-year-old son. The boy has short black hair, and brown eyes. He has Yusuke's smile, and runs from his father screaming with happiness. His three-year-old sister tries to keep up with her brother and father, her long curly brown hair flapping in the wind. She almost falls, but daddy rescues her catching her, and holding her to him. He smiles, laughs, and then takes his son's hand marching him up towards the others. Everyone sits down to eat, but the four former Rekai.

Kuwabara and Yusuke are smiling at each other leaned up against a tree, elbowing each other in the ribs. Yusuke points at Kuwabara's tie, and the man glares back, and pulls on Yusuke's cheeks. Hiei watches amused, a small smile on his face, and Kurama tries desperately to prevent a fight.

The scene freezes on the fours smiling, and laughing faces, and a pair of blue eyes with crosses for pupils is lightly faded in the background…

**/It's true love for you... Don't forget to tie you and me together. It's true love for you.../**

END! BUT WAIT! THIS IS THE END OF THIS KUWABARA ARC, BUT THERE IS A BONUS EPISODE THAT LETS YOU KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING FOR THE REKAI! HOW IS KUWABARA? YUSUKE? HIEI? KURAMA? IS BOETON MARRIED TO...:your thoughts here: WHERE DOES KUWABARA WORK? WHO ARE THE NEW REKAI? **ARE **THERE ANY NEW REKAI!? FIND OUT IN BONUS EPISODE...

sniff...so happy ya'll have all ready this sucky thing for so long...


	22. Bonus Episode TwentyTwo:Just Remembering

Well this is it, the last chapter...the bonus episode.

These are the following new Rekai mentioned in this story. I have other arcs that sadly won't be posted on because Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara are not the main characters. But yeah…here's the characters:

**Yomgaeru Umaru** which means (rise from the dead, buried in)

**Kabuseru Kyo** which means ( to blame an innocent, today)

**Kaikatsu Saiwai** which means (lively cheerful, lucky happy) /side note, he is Jin's cousin/

**Hamono Jigoku** which means (knife, living Hell)

**Hogasha Tsumeta**i which means (Protector, cold; cold blooded)

I would continue in explaining their characters but it would take to long, and I want you to read the last chapter. Please enjoy the revised version!

1234

**EPISODE TWENTY TWO: JUST REMEMBERING**

"Now class, repeat after me, 'Hello, I am Japanese,' Do it now!" Kuwabara's voice rang out trying to teach his bored students English. But they seemed to busy giggling, instead of repeating what he was saying. He looked at his 8th graders, and opened his desk drawer pulling out several hackie sacks, and threw them at three boys, getting loud laughter, and the class' attention.

Kuwabara would throw these hackie sacks at troublemakers. Kuwabara's tactic always worked and the class seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. He sighed, and finally noticed the boy in the back of his class who slept soundly unaware of the stir he was causing. Kuwabara sighed, picked up a dictionary, and with the class still giggling, dropped the book on the desk, waking the boy with a jolt.

The boy looked tiredly at him, and Kuwabara sighed, "Mr. Yomgaeru Umaru, why are you sleeping in my class?"

The student who had brown eyes, and oddly enough, _natural_ purple hair (though no one would ever believe that), stared at him as if he couldn't understand him.

"Mr. Kuwabara I was up all night killing demons," The boy finally said with a yawn.

The class laughed, and Kuwabara shook his head, "Yomgaeru, just try to get some sleep, and have one of your friends who don't attend school kill the demons for you." The two shared a secret smile, while the others continued laughing. Kuwabara headed back for the front of class, grabbing his hackie sacks on the way, and sighed, "Now will you listen when I try to teach you English?"

"What English can you speak you spaz?"

Kuwabara turned smiling at the one who had spoken and threw one of his hackie sack nailing a man who stood in the doorway, on the head, and once again his giddy class broke out into laughter.

"Yusuke Urameshi why are you here?" Kuwabara demanded with a wide smile.

Yusuke shrugged, looked down and opened the door wider, "To deliver this!"

A little girl no older than seven came running to greet Kuwabara. She had shoulder length curly blue hair, and blue eyes. Kuwabara bent down smiling, "Hey sweety!" She ran to him hugging him, and at that moment, the girls in the room began squealing about how cute she was, and even some of the boys looked at the adorable girl tenderly.

Kuwabara lifted his daughter, who resembled her mother, upon his shoulders with a smile. "This is my daughter Kari. Kari say hi to my no good lazy students." The little girl who hugged her dad's head, looked at them all shyly.

"Hi," she giggled sweetly.

The class greeted her, smiling at the darling little girl.

"Uncle Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara turned again smiling down at three identical six year olds. "Well, seems you brought everyone Urameshi."

He set his daughter down, and smiled at his two nieces, and nephew. "How are my favorite triplets?" The three laughed, their red eyes sparkling, and orange hair flashing under the school room lights. Somehow they had managed not to pick up the silent aggressive attitude of their mother and Father (Hiei and Mukuro if you couldn't tell).

Jade and Joan were the two girls who wore their hair tied up, and Jaun was the boy who had short hair, but if he had longer hair, and wore it up, he surely could pass off as them. Three more children entered, including Raizen Urameshi, Yusuke's thirteen year old son, Kohaku Urameshi, his six year old daughter, and five year old Zorro son of Kurama, whose name came from his mother, naming him after her Spanish father.

Kuwabara stared at them all, and then back at Yusuke, "Why'd you bring all our kids?"

Yusuke glared at him, "Hello, we're going out to eat!" He walked in followed by Keiko who held the last Urameshi child, two-year-old Fei Urameshi. Then Yukina, who Kuwabara knew to be pregnant, then Kurama, followed by his wife Nadishiko. (whom also was a fox demon who had oddly enough done the same thing as Kurama, resurrecting in a woman's womb, but she died, and lived with her father. So she too wound up caring about a parent and didn't leave, though she could anytime she wanted.)

In her human form, she had brown hair with blue eyes, and she typically wore her brown hair up. She also wore glasses, but the glasses didn't take away from her beauty, she was indeed a lovely creature. Her demon form was even prettier. She had white ears, gold eyes, white hair, and a white tail. She was also gentle and kind, a very good friend. Hiei and Mukuro entered the room, smiling as half the class shivered at their presence.

Kuwabara sighed shaking his head, "My room is now packed! What are all of you doing here, not that I'm not happy to see you."

"We're going out to eat, remember?" Yusuke snapped again, which Kuwabara snapped back with, "I have class another thirty minutes! I'll meet you all at he restaurant okay?"

Everyone agreed, but Kari protested, hugging her father's leg, "Can I stay with you? Please?" Kuwabara sighed, smiled and nodded, waving good-bye to his friends and family. Yusuke however plopped himself in the teacher's chair, putting his feet up, which did not surprise Kuwabara in the least.

"Now clas-" Kuwabara shut up and sighed.

Now his students had crowded around the little girl all giggling and saying how cute she was. The only one that did not go was Yomgaeru. However, she pulled away, ran to him and cried, "Yomi...Yomi!" That was the nickname she'd developed for him.

He smiled picked her up, and kissed her brow, "Hey princess how are you doing?" The girl smiled hugging him tightly.

The class now puzzled, looked over at Kuwabara who sighed, "He's my cousin's son...aka my second cousin." The class mad 'oo' sounds, and seemed impressed that Kuwabara didn't pay him special attention because they were related. What the class didn't know was Kuwabara was lying between his teeth.

He couldn't very well tell them that Yomgaeru led a team of three demons, and was a half demon himself. He smiled at this, it really reminded him of his team.

His thoughts were broken at the sound of giggling, and he turned to see Yusuke drawing a very bad drawing of him, and Yusuke had made the cruddy picture of Kuwabara saying, "I suck at life." Kuwabara couldn't contain himself anymore, and tackled his best friend to the ground.

The class was in an uproar as the two fought. All were used to this, and all loved it. They were pleased with their teacher's fighting skills, as well as Yusuke's. One student had even looked up the two in the junior high records and announced how the Kuwabara was the leader of a gang, and Yusuke was the strongest fighter, though he was a loner.

Of course the truth was stretched a bit, and Kuwabara was said to be a leader of thirty men, whose eyes were burned during a fight, that almost blinded him, when all of a sudden Yusuke came and rescued him, and carried him on his back, thirty miles to the hospital.

We know the real story, and they knew the real story, but they weren't about to tell the young students what really happened. So they neither denied, nor supported the ridiculous rumor, making the origin of their friendship a secret. But the class was more interested in Kuwabara's "Judgment Eyes," As they called it. They couldn't fathom how their teacher got crosses in his eyes, and they all knew Kuwabara was too smart for surgery, or a cult. When asked about it Kuwabara would shut his book, and sit in his chair not speaking until they saw him the next day.

The door opening disrupted the fight, but whoever the person was, would be in trouble for Yusuke had flung Kuwabara towards the door. But the small figure jumped to the side of the doorframe and using it as leverage, jumped from side to side, until she was at the ceiling hanging onto one of the lamps that hung down. "Whoa!" The class echoed, and then broke into clapping.

Kuwabara rose with the help of Yusuke and stared at the girl, even Yomgaeru seemed impressed with what she had just accomplished.

"Can I come down now?" The young brown-eyed red head asked.

"Uh yes...sorry...you're the new student right?"

She nodded, and smiled, "I hope you two are friends."

The class snickered, and Yusuke threw and arm around Kuwabara, "Would you believe we're the best of friends?" She smiled again, and doing what she did to get up, she did the same thing to get down.

Kuwabara cleared his throat, and walked to the middle of his class, running his hand through his hair, which he no longer kept up. Kari scampered to the new girl, and took her hand leading her in the room. "You're a pretty lady!" Kari sweetly said with a smile staring at the teen. The girl smiled, and fully revealed herself to the class.

Right away, they knew that this girl was a little off.

She wore the boy's uniform, with the girl's skirt over the pants. Her read hair was tied back, with two clumps of red hair loosely hanging about her face, but still tucked up into her tied off hair. She was pretty with her red hair, and brown eyes, and wide smile, but she still seemed so abnormal to the class. As Kuwabara began introducing her she picked up Kari with her one hand and began swinging her gently. Yomgaeru smiled lightly at this, she did seem a bit off, but nice.

"This is Kabuseru-" Kuwabara cut short and looked at her, "Is that really your first name? Did I pronounce it wrong?"

Still swinging Kari, the girl answered casually, "No. That's my name."

Kuwabara looked at her a moment, and then continued, "This is Kabuseru Kyo, she used to be home schooled, but her family thought it was time she joined regular school, so please be polite, and welcome her to this school."

In dull voices, as most students seem to do, they greeted her with, "Hi Kabuseru." Then, the bell rang, and the class began pouring out. Soon all that remained was Kabuseru, Yomgaeru, Kari, Yusuke, and Kuwabara. Kabuseru set the small girl down who ran over to Yomgaeru who was packing up, "Isn't she pretty Yomi?" Yomgaeru looked up at the girl, who instead of turning shyly away stared strait into his eyes with her own piercing brown ones. He smiled at her boldness, responding with equal boldness, "Yes. She is."

Kuwabara looked over at her, and began to apologize, "I'm sorry about asking if I said your name right, but doesn't you're name mean-"

"To blame and innocent, yes. Oddly enough my last name means today. So it's like saying, 'To blame and innocent today,' isn't it?" Kabuseru said a small eerie smile on her face. Yusuke and Kuwabara glanced at each other, and then looked back at her. She was pulling as slip from her small brown, battered bag.

They hadn't noticed it before. The thing was in rags, and had duck tape keeping it together. The strap and been sewn back onto the bag many times, and whatever lettering was on it, had been rubbed off from use. She finally pulled out a slip and handed it, surprisingly to Yusuke. He looked at her for a moment, before taking it and reading it. Yomgaeru joined trying to take a peek at what the note said himself.

"Well I'll be..." Yusuke said smiling wide, he turned to Yomgaeru, "Yomgaeru, meet your new teammate." Both Yomgaeru and Kuwabara looked surprised, and Yusuke laughed, "It seems her team or rekai were disbanded, and she needs a new team so she can continue."

Yomgaeru looked at the girl impressed, "Well, well, well, things just got interesting. What can you do?"

She smiled and said, "Well you saw what I did to the door frame. I can tell you are a demon right off, same with Yusuke. I can always tell what people are. I am not a developed psychic, it come to me in small bursts, and at random times, but I can do these pretty well."

She held out her hand, fingers clinched tightly, and between each finger, appeared blood red ninja stars. She smiled at their faces, and just as quickly as they were there, they had gone. "How long have you been doing this?" Kuwabara asked a little stunned. "Since I was twelve," She said with a shrug.

"Damn...I've only been doing this for 8 months!" Yomgaeru said with a loud impressed sigh. She smiled her strange little smile again, "Koenma wants to speak to you more about me, what about I'm not sure, but he said he'll be at Yusuke's shrine."

Yusuke's eyes glistened with a hint of sadness, when Genkai had died, just eight years ago he had inherited her shrine when she passed on. It still seemed weird to hear people refer to it as his shrine. He, in a way had inherited her job as well, by trained pain in the ass Rekai's. Yomgaeru was one of those pain in the ass students.

Kuwabara picked up his daughter, and sighed, "Let's go Urameshi, the others are waiting. Yomgaeru, why don't you show her how to get to Yusuke's shrine?" Yomgaeru saluted, and dragged Kabuseru off, but Yusuke and Kuwabara sighed with frustration as they clearly heard that he planned on showing her the best arcade, instead of showing her where Yusuke's shrine was.

"She's a little creepy, isn't she?" Yusuke asked looking at his best friend. Kuwabara didn't answer right away and that gave Yusuke time to stare at Kuwabara's eyes. Those cursed eyes, that Yusuke felt responsible for. If only he'd gotten there sooner, if only he'd stopped Kuwabara from going out to meet Sage, if only he'd never met Kuwabara...then Kuwabara's life wouldn't be so intertwined with his, in so much danger.

"I can hear your thoughts you know..." Kuwabara said smiling at his best friend who flushed with embarrassment. "I know what you're doing, thinking that my cursed eyes is your fault again." Kuwabara smiled and threw his arm around Yusuke, "Well you're right, this is all your damn fault! But...thank God it was. I've gone on all these cool missions, seen places that I didn't think existed, and I got to see my parents one last time..." Yusuke looked up at Kuwabara who smiled at him, "And as bonus, I can live as long as you, and Yukina, and Kurama, and Hiei!" Kuwabara frowned, "That's the only downer, I'm going to be stuck with Hiei for about ten thousand years."

Yusuke laughed, and then looked down at the small girl in Kuwabara's arms. "You're kid fell asleep, she's so energetic!" Yusuke sighed smiling down at the girl. Kari was indeed, curled up in her father's arms, and snuggled close to him. Kuwabara smiled, and whispered, "She has the best name too..."

There was a long silence, and Yusuke threw off Kuwabara's arm, and secured his wrist in his hand, "Come on you ass. They're all waiting for us!" Yusuke dragged him out of the school, waving at teachers who had had him. "Mr. Ikashi? You're still alive! Aren't you dead yet?" Kuwabara laughed loudly as the rat-faced man grew red in the face.

The two took Kuwabara's car driving towards the restaurant, where they had a table booked in advance. They would arrive just in time to see Koenma helping Boeton in. Her pregnant belly seemed to be getting bigger, and bigger every day. And with that, Koenma, the soon to be father, seemed to get more anxious with each passing day.

Kuwabara, and Yusuke found the four booths that all their friends and family sat, and joined Kurama, Hiei, and Koenma. The men had their table to themselves, while the kids shared two booths, and the woman, sat on their own. Mukuro looked just the slightest bit uncomfortable, her silence hanging around her as a constant reminder that she was not quite one of them. The other woman treated her well enough, and Mukuro was actually quite fond of Nadishiko, Kurama's wife.

Kuwabara enjoyed laughing with his friends, and announced the new Rekai, which all turned to Koenma asking more about this odd girl. Koenma's eyes flashed and he cleared his throat, and in a low voice he whispered to the retired Rekai's, "I won't tell you now, but I will tell you later why she and her team no longer work together. They did not split up on good terms, in fact her other team members were fired."

Kuwabara, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama glanced at each other, "Why?" Kurama whispered, but Koenma shook his head and smiled at his waiter. As the waiter took orders, he paused to stare at Kuwabara. Kuwabara and Yusuke shared a secret smile, and Kuwabara turned to the waiter giving him a "heavenly," smile. "Is there something wrong my son? You must recognize me from church! You know they say my eyes get crosses in them when you do something wrong!" Kuwabara said this with such a sweet voice, and such a soft, and kind expression, that the waiter muttered they won a free meal, and no one had to pay.

When he scampered off, all three booths burst into laughter. Hiei shook his head, "I can't believe you! Again! How do these fools fall for this so easily!"

Kuwabara, gave Hiei a "heavenly," look once again, "It is a gift my son, a gift." Snorts of laughter filled their table, and the laughter, and loud talking was only quieted by food.

Keiko put Boston's large tummy, "Do you think there's only one in there?" She asked playfully, but Mukuro shook her head. "Hope it's only one...three at once is very painful, right Hiei?" Hiei looked over at Mukuro, slightly paler. "Yes...it is."

Kuwabara and Yusuke chuckled under their breaths, snorting with light laughter. The rest of the day went by smoothly, and soon the restaurant was empty, but Yusuke's shrine was full. They waited for Yomgaeru and Kabuseru, as well as Yomgaeru's other teammates. As every one mingled, Yusuke felt some one tug lightly at his hand.

Yusuke's thirteen-year-old son, looked at him, and pointed over to Kuwabara, who had separated himself from the group, and stood off by himself. Yusuke smiled at Raizen, patting his head, and marched over to his friend. He put a hand on his shoulder, Kuwabara jumping.

"Hey mister lonesome, what are you doing?"

Kuwabara smiled, the crossed in his eyes flashing, "Just remembering."

The two stood together side by side, staying silent, even as Kurama and Hiei joined them. A soft wind stirred, and Kuwabara took in a breath, with a long peaceful sigh.

"Just Remembering."

**THE END OF KUWABARA'S ARC**

Yes…my epic love is over!!


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